THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Davao Region reported that exports in the region posted a 12-percent increase in freight on board (FOB) value to $595.05 million, as of the third quarter of 2014 as compared to $531.39 million in the same period in 2013.
Agricultural products remain as the top export commodity in the region, including banana, coconut, pineapple, rubber, among others.
Fresh or dried bananas, including plantains, have remained as the top export commodity of the region despite having a five percent decrease.
Total banana export as of the third quarter of 2014 is at $242.91 million as compared to $255.67 million in the same period in 2013.
Japan us the top export destination for banana at $93.65 million, followed by China ($62.76 million), South Korea ($23.51 million), United Arab Emirates (UAE) ($11.3 million), and Iran ($9.49 million).
Placing second is crude coconut oil with $112.18 million. Netherlands is the top export destination for coconut oil at $47.87 million, followed by United States ($42.02 million), Italy ($5.57 million), Indonesia ($5.42 million), and China ($4.07 million).
Rounding up the top three most exported products from the region is desiccated coconut at $35.72 million. The United States is the top export destination of the commodity with a FOB value of $6.53 million, followed by United Kingdom ($4.19 million), China ($3.52 million), Netherlands ($3.46 million), and Russia ($2.29 million).
The fourth most exported commodity are fresh and dried pineapples at $26.78 million, with Japan ($10.51 million), South Korea ($3.62 million), UAE ($3.12 million), Singapore ($2.77 million), and China ($2.72 million) as the top export destinations.
Other fruits — like lychees, longans, jackfruit, mangoes, among others — including mixtures, prepared or preserved, containing added sugar or other sweetening ingredients are the fifth most exported commodity with $21.1 million. China ($4.09 million), Vietnam ($2.52 million), United States ($2.16 million), Germany ($1.73 million), and Japan ($1.58 million) as the top export destinations.
Also part of the top ten most exported commodities from Davao Region are: other food preparations not elsewhere specified or included ($17.79 million); coconut oil and its fractions ($17.27 million); activated carbon of coconut shell based ($15.89 million); natural rubber in other forms ($12.41 million); and raw sugar cane ($7.71 million).
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on January 19, 2015.
