Davao saba bananas to enter Australian market for first time

Initial 7,000kg shipment of frozen steamed saba is scheduled to sail on October 3 and arrive in Australia in November.

Davao’s Cardava bananas, commonly known as saba, are entering the Australian market through an initial 7,000-kilogram shipment facilitated by the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11).

The shipment of frozen whole steamed saba, processed by Golden Flavours, is scheduled to sail on October 3 and is tentatively expected to arrive in Australia on November 3.

The bananas are harvested at 90% to 100% maturity, then blast-frozen at –18°C, giving the processed product a shelf life of up to one year, according to the DA.

The export opportunity came after the Sabah International Expo 2026, where local agribusiness stakeholders explored potential overseas markets for Philippine products.

DA-11 said expanding these markets could give farmers more opportunities to sell their produce, while Golden Flavours said the project also aims to create livelihood opportunities for Indigenous Peoples communities.

The Australian shipment is an initial step, with the longer-term impact depending on whether demand for the processed saba product can support continued exports and provide a sustained market for local producers.

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