The Philippines launched its first export shipment of fresh avocados to South Korea on Sept. 30, 2023 in a ceremonial send off from the KTC Port Tibungco in Davao City.
The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), through the National Plant Quarantine Services Division (NPQSD), exported the maiden batch of Philippine Hass avocados to Korea following a series of discussions on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) concerns and the sustainability of the fruits export volume.
The Philippines exported an initial shipment of 3,040 boxes of the fruit valued at $48,433, which are expected to arrive in Pyongtaek Port, South Korea on Oct. 8, 2023.
It took the Philippines 15 years before South Korea agreed to accommodate fresh Philippine avocados into its domestic fruit market.
The BPI expressed its intention to export fresh Hass avocado fruits to Korea on Sept. 25, 2009, on behalf of Dole Philippines. The DA’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) of the Republic of Korea and BPI reached a historic agreement on June 19, 2023, which came into effect as of Sept. 8, 2023.
The Philippine government said it expects the milestone to be the start of a fruitful trade relationship between the two nations, complementing trade with fresh fruit exports.
The DA said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is committed to the acceleration of agricultural development by opening the country’s doors to Philippine fruit exports.
Under his leadership, the Philippines is continuously making progress in creating opportunities in the global market and solidifying its capability to trade top-quality agricultural products.