Pummelo grading in PHI misaligned with global standards - DA study

The grading and classification system used by pummelo growers and traders in the country’s top pummelo producing province is only partially aligned with international and regional standards, potentially limiting the fruit’s competitiveness in export markets.

- By ALDEN MONZON

This is according to a new evaluation by the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS), which found that the country’s standards for fresh pummelo remain largely outdated and differ significantly from both the Codex Standard for Pummelo and the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) standard.

The study showed that it has a harmonization rate of only 19 percent with each of the two benchmarks.

Researchers assessed local growers’ and traders’ practices for the Magallanes variety, which dominates Davao’s commercial production.

Davao City is the country’s top producer of the citrus fruit, with production reaching nearly 12,988 metric tons in 2022.