2 Davao firms seal $27-M durian export deals with Chinese company

Two Davao City-based companies have forged separate agreements worth a combined $27 million (P1.71 billion) with a Chinese firm for the export of durian, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday.

The agreement between Eng Seng and Somago establishes a strategic cooperation framework worth $17 million (P1.08 billion) annually, covering the period from November 2026 to November 2027.

Meanwhile, the Maylong-Somago agreement covers the procurement of frozen durian, with an annual target of $10 million (P632.55 million) from Nov. 1, 2026, to Oct. 31, 2027.

Filipino exporters and growers generated $290 million (P18.34 billion) in booked and negotiated sales of various tropical fruits during the Asia Logistica Expo in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, the Maylong-Somago agreement covers the procurement of frozen durian, with an annual target of $10 million (P632.55 million) from Nov. 1, 2026, to Oct. 31, 2027.

The DA said the export deals could provide more opportunities for Filipino farmers while helping address the country's agricultural trade deficit.

“By expanding overseas markets, we are not only strengthening the country's agricultural trade position through higher export earnings but also encouraging much-needed investments in the agriculture sector,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement.

During the 2025 CIIE, the Philippine delegation generated P920.58 million in booked sales, with a reported return on investment of 252.69%.

Durian has also figured prominently in the country's recent export deals involving tropical fruits.

Filipino exporters and growers generated $290 million (P18.34 billion) in booked and negotiated sales of various tropical fruits during the Asia Logistica Expo in Hong Kong. These included Cavendish and Cardava bananas, durian, mangoes and dragon fruit.

Meanwhile, the Philippines shipped 300 kilograms of durian to Canada in September.

(Exchange rate: P63.255, Nov. 10, 2026)

— MCG, GMA News

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