Philippine Saba (Cardava) bananas are set to enter Hong Kong and New Zealand following the signing of two Supply and Purchase Agreements on Sept. 2, according to the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11).

The agreements were signed between Philippine exporter Avante Agri-Products Philippines Inc. and Cozy and Korner Trading Co. of Hong Kong, as well as Fresh Produce Group (FPG) Ltd. of New Zealand.

Under the agreements, Cozy and Korner will serve as the exclusive distributor in Hong Kong, while FPG Ltd. will act as the exclusive importer and distributor in New Zealand.

The agreements follow an initial shipment of Cardava bananas to Saudi Arabia in August. Accredited exporter GERB Golden Hands Corp. shipped 20 tons, comprising 1,540 boxes of 13 kilograms each. The shipment was expected to arrive within 35 days.

DA-11 said the agreements expand market access for Philippine agricultural products, including export-grade Saba bananas.

The Department of Agriculture also participated in the Sabah International Expo 2026 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, from Sept. 2-6. The event covers businesses from the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and ASEAN.

DA-11 Regional Technical Director for Operations Marie Ann Constantino said exporters need to comply with importing-country protocols and requirements to access international markets.