Davao farmers eye Saudi market as new outlet for crops

DAVAO CITY (September 1)  — For farmers in the Davao Region, gaining access to the Saudi Arabian market could offer a much-needed alternative to the uncertainties of local agricultural markets, where oversupply, weak farmgate prices and limited buyers can eat into their earnings.

Chayote, cardava bananas, sweet potatoes and singkamas grown in the region are now being positioned for shipment to Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, opening a potential overseas market for crops that are largely sold locally.

A send-off ceremony for the latest shipment was held August 26 in Barangay Tibal-og, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte, with the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11) supporting the export initiative.

The latest shipment builds on an initial market linkage between local exporter GERB Golden Hands Corporation and Rana Mohammed Saleem Commercial LLC, a buyer based in Jeddah.

For DA-11 Regional Executive Director Macario D. Gonzaga, the continued demand from the Saudi buyer could give farmers a wider market for their produce.

“This is really a big opportunity for all farmers. It is not only banana, sweet potato, jicama, or singkamas. This time, we already have vegetables, chayote, which Davao Region is very famous for, and I believe we have plenty of supplies for this,” Gonzaga said.

But for farmers, the bigger question is whether access to an international market will translate into better and more stable farmgate prices and higher incomes, rather than simply increasing the volume of agricultural products traded.

Export opportunities can provide an additional outlet when local markets are saturated, but farmers also need reliable buyers, fair pricing, consistent demand and assistance in meeting export standards.

GERB Golden Hands Corporation chief executive officer Dolores G. Lazarus said the company hopes to sustain the shipments with assistance from DA-11 and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

“Hopefully, this will continue, and I really have a great appreciation for the help given by the Department of Agriculture and the BPI. With their help, our export will be successful,” Lazarus said.

Lazarus said the company wants to use its connection in the Middle East to help farmers gain access to export markets.

The market linkage traces back to the participation of DA-11 and GERB Golden Hands Corporation in the AGRA Middle East Exhibition 2024 in Dubai, where the Philippine delegation showcased agricultural products and connected with potential buyers.

In July 2026, GERB exported 17.2 metric tons of cardava bananas and singkamas to Rana Mohammed Saleem Commercial LLC in Jeddah. The shipment was valued at PHP800,000.

The shipment value translates to an average export value of about PHP46.50 per kilogram, although this does not represent what farmers actually received at the farmgate after costs for consolidation, packaging, transport, processing and other export requirements.

This distinction is crucial for farmers.

While international demand can potentially improve the value of agricultural commodities, the benefits will depend on how much of the export value reaches producers and whether small farmers are able to participate directly or through organized groups and consolidators.

DA-11’s Gonzaga said the continued Saudi demand demonstrates confidence in the quality, consistency and supply capacity of Davao agricultural products.

For farmers, however, maintaining that supply will also require sustained government support—from production and post-harvest assistance to logistics, quality standards, market information and access to buyers.

The challenge is therefore not simply to export more, but to ensure that farmers are able to earn more from what they produce.

If sustained, the Saudi market could provide Davao farmers another outlet beyond the highly competitive domestic market. But its success will ultimately be measured not only by the number of shipments leaving the region, but by whether farmers receive fair returns, gain more secure markets and see tangible improvements in their livelihoods.