PHL fresh fruit imports seen rising 25% this year – USDA

FRESH FRUIT shipments to the Philippines are expected to climb by 25% this year even as the United States’ exports to the country are likely to decline, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The USDA said in a Nov. 25 report that global exports of fresh fruit to the Philippines are projected to increase by 25% after growing by 3% year on year to $321 million in 2024.

“Fresh fruit shipments to the Philippines have shown strong growth in 2025, increasing by 20% through August,” it said.

“The overall demand for imported agricultural and related products is driven by a young and growing population, rising incomes, and the Philippines’ reliance on imports to meet domestic food needs.”

It said the country’s population could reach 164 million by year-end and is expected to grow by more than 1 million annually, which would help drive demand for food products.

Despite this, fresh fruit exports from the US to the Philippines declined 10% to less than $14 million in 2024 and are expected to decrease by at least 7% this year. Over the past decade, US exports to the Philippines declined by 73%.

Fruits from the US made up only 3% of the Philippines’ total fresh fruit imports in 2024, the report showed, with products including apples, cherries, grapes, oranges, strawberries, cranberries, blueberries and peaches.

“Exports of apples, grapes, oranges, and plums experienced significant decreases, while sweet cherries, strawberries, nectarines and peaches, and blueberries and cranberries showed remarkable growth,” the USDA said.

Even as overall fruit exports are expected to drop this year, US traders see increased apple shipments, it said. “This increase is expected to be driven by the popularity of the Ambrosia, Cosmic Crisp and SugarBee varieties, which were introduced in 2024 and have gained traction among Philippine consumers.”

“The United States is widely recognized for consistently supplying premium-quality fruit, and US exporters are encouraged to leverage this reputation through strong US branding and the introduction of innovative fresh fruit varieties to the Philippine market,” it added.

“The Philippines grows a wide variety of fruits. Only bananas and papayas are harvested year-round, while the rest are seasonal. This presents an opportunity for US exporters to fill gaps in the market throughout the year.”

Meanwhile, data showed that China was the main source of the Philippines’ fresh fruit imports in 2024, accounting for 72% of shipments. Fruits imported included apples, grapes, mandarins, pears, lemons and limes, oranges and other citrus hybrids.

South Africa and Australia accounted for 9% and 8% of the market, respectively, exporting fruits like mandarins, grapes and oranges. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel