P17-M durian processing plant to rise in Davao City

The facility is expected to meet the increasing demand of durian in the local and international market.

This will also serve as a fruit storage and ripening area, cold storage, and processing for blast-frozen durian pulp.

The package of support also includes 3 units Blast Freezer, 4 units Reefer Container Van, 2 units Reefer Truck and 3 units Vacuum Machine which will put premium on the farmers’ produce and help them earn more through value-adding.

China, in the previous years was eyeing Philippines as one of its durian suppliers for its growing market but the latter could not meet the needed volume citing the unavailability of processing machinery and equipment for farmers to produce frozen durian meat.

This year, with the availability of the needed facility and equipment, DIADC is expecting the approval of the bilateral agreement with China allowing the Philippines to export durian which will open vast market opportunities for the farmers’ produce.

DA 11 Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo said that the said project will not only address the marketing constraints but  also the once fragmented farmlands and divided durian farmers in the city.

These interventions are in line with the Farm Consolidation and Clustering program of DA.

“As we continue to help our farmers achieve optimum yield and income, we also want them to be organized in order to achieve economies of scale. When it comes to economies of scale, the size of agribusiness really matters. The larger the agribusiness, the lesser the production cost,” Monteagudo said.

He added that farm consolidation would require farmers to co-produce in groups of contiguous farms with synchronized activities based on group production plans.

DIADC President Emmanuel S. Belviz, meanwhile thanked DA for opening more market doors for the 500 Durian farmer-beneficiaries and for the chance to showcase their produce in the international market.

Belviz said one of the major challenges in the Durian Industry is the lack of local market.

“Since there is an increasing number of farmlands planted to Durian in the Davao region, five years from now, durian will grow exponentially and we need to find more markets for Durian. That is why I thank DA for the opportunity to increase the export value of our farmers’ produce,” Belviz said.

He added that as beneficiaries of the farm consolidation and clustering program of DA 11, they have realized that unity is really a strength in durian production and enterprise as they now have better access to farm inputs, machinery, skills training and marketing.