On March 31, 7,656 tons of avocados which departed from the Port of Davao, the Philippines, arrived at the Port of Shanghai, China. These Hass avocados exported by Dole (Philippines) Co., Ltd. and imported by Dole (Shanghai) Fruit and Vegetable Trading Co., Ltd. marked the official start of avocado exports from the Philippines to China.
Guests at the event expressed good wishes on the sales
On November 29, 2019, the General Administration of Customs of China issued the "Announcement on the phytosanitary care of fresh avocado imports from the Philippines". Since then, fresh avocados have been officially approved for export from the Philippines to China. The avocados exported are of the Hass variety, as stipulated by the phytosanitary requirements.
Opening the first container
Dole's avocados
As a large exporter of bananas, pineapples, papayas and fruit packaging products, Dole is a well-known fruit company in the Philippines. It has operations in many different towns in the country, mainly in the southern island of Mindanao.
Dole’s avocado plantations
Dole has been growing Hass avocados in the Philippines since 2006. Compared to the bananas and pineapples that the company has been growing for decades, avocados are undoubtedly a new product. Dole has gradually established plantations in Kablon, Calinan, and Bukidnon of Mindanao.
Dole’s avocado packaging facilities
The export of avocados from the Philippines to China is another successful practice of cooperation between the two countries under the “Belt and Road” initiative. With this, the list of fruits being exported to China from the “Belt and Road” countries and regions has been updated once again. The market growth of avocados in China is astonishing, giving high hopes for the market prospects of the Philippine avocados.
Mario C. Tani, Philippine Business Consul & Head of Philippine Trade and Investment Center Shanghai is giving a speech
Thanks to the geographical proximity between the Philippines and China, the shipping time is shorter and the fruit is fresher compared to those from South America. In addition, the production season in the Philippines covers most of the year, which is a good complement to achieve year-round sales in the market.
Dole's avocado packaging
Guests also visited Dole's digital ethylene ripening facilities. Using ethylene ripening can make avocados color evenly, and it provides fruit of different levels of ripeness based on the needs of the customer, in order to improve the consumer's eating experience.
Mr. Chen Yongkang, General Manager of Dole China, is presenting the sourcing experts from Hema Fresh with Philippine avocados to be launched at this platform
These avocados will first be launched at Hema Fresh. In the future, Dole’s avocados will be marketed online and offline through multiple channels, so that they are available to more consumers. Dole will also bring this new product to the third China International Import Expo and plans to continue its expansion of the planted acreages and production, vigorously developing the Chinese market, and gradually increasing the market share of the Philippine avocados in China.
At the same time, Dole will also combine its existing high-quality sources such as Mexico, Chile, Peru, New Zealand, and Chinese avocados to achieve an uninterrupted supply of high-quality avocados throughout the year, while providing precise ripening to meet different customer needs.
Source: Dole