Industri Jutaan Ringgit - Projek Sarang Burung

Salam Aidil Adha

2011-11-06T07:46:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum...
Swiftlet Dream Services mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha kepada semua umat Islam khususnya rakan-rakan kongsi projek amal..
Berhati-hati ketika memandu di musim perayaan ini..Ingatlah orang tersayang di ssekeliling anda..

40 lot sahaja yang tinggal untuk rumah pertama projek amal kerjasama Pertubuhan Anak anak Yatim Kelantan (PEKAYATIM)..

Setiap lot dijangkakan boleh menghasilkan pendapatan RM400-RM600 (jangkaan kasar bila RBW berkeadaan tepu@penuh dan mengikut harga pasaran semasa...amin..insya'ALLAH)

Pengarah Urusan
Swiftlet Dream Services
~~Rahimi~~

Cara Penyertaan & Jadual Jangkaan Kasar

2011-10-20T12:23:00.000+08:00

PROJEK PERKONGSIAN AMAL

2011-10-20T11:57:00.002+08:00

Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera...

Kami, Swiftlet Dream Services (SDS) dengan sukacitanya menjemput sesiapa sahaja untuk bersama-sama turut serta dalam projek perkongsian amal ini.

Projek ini dijalankan dengan kerjasama Pertubuhan Anak-anak Yatim Kelantan (PEKAYATIM) sebagai salah satu jalan membantu mereka dalam meningkatkan ekonomi anak-anak yatim dan juga sebagai salah satu sumber dana kegunaan mereka selain daripada hasil sumbangan individu-individu mahupun badan-badan lain.

Melalui projek ini, pihak anda bukan sahaja dapat membantu meningkatkan ekonomi sendiri, malah dapat membuat sedikit amal jariah yang menjadi bekalan untuk anda DI SANA kelak.

Setiap RBW yang didirikan dengan kerjasama PEKAYATIM, 10% daripada hasil RBW tersebut akan diinfaqkan kepada mereka sebagai sumber kewangan mereka. Kepada pihak anda pula, setiap lot yg dikongsi@dibeli akan memberikan hasil 1% bg 1 lot daripada hasil RBW tersebut..

Jadi..ayuh, jangan kita berlengah lagi...bangkit dan bantulah mereka yang kurang upaya..

1 Lot = RM 2000 = 1% hasil RBW (solid)

1 RBW = 60 lot = RM120,000

Setiap penyertaan akan dikenakan kos guaman sebanyak RM 500 (bagi yg lebih daripada 4 lot, kos guaman ditanggung oleh SDS)

Successfull Renovate @ Revamp Bird House at Sabah

2011-10-20T11:00:00.010+08:00

Alhamdulillah...syukur kehadratNYA dengan keizinanan daripadaNYA, RBW kawan saya berjaya diubahsuai setelah beberapa ketika tidak mendatangkan hasil. Dengan ilmu dan pengalaman saya yang tidak seberapa ini, saya hanya memberi sedikit pandangan keatas RBW kawan saya apa yang perlu diubahsuai dan selepas seminggu berjalan ia meunjukkan hasil....ingin saya berkongsi buat semua...

Gambar 1

Gambar 2

Gambar 3

Gambar2 diatas adalah kawasan yang perlu diubah suai selain ubahsuai teknikal yg lain...
di bawah nih saya sertakan lakaran asal RBW ini (2D):

Setelah meneliti gambaran yang diberi....saya membuat beberapa lakaran kasar yang perlu beliau ubahsuai dan saya juga mengandaikan arah burung pulang sebab beliau tidak menyatakan arahnya (nak pegi tgk jauh so just buat andaian la arah burung tuh balik)

so daripada lakaran tuh, saya cadangkan beliau tutup terus lubang kedua seperti gambar 2.

kemudian buka 1 LMB (lubang masuk burung) dibahagian depannya(luar) dan di bahagian dalam di kawasan Gambar 1. Letak pula Hexagon or Bazooka kt hujung atas atap seperti dlm lakaran di bawah.

lepastuh buat sket susunan speaker yg sesuai seperti lakaran bawah ni..

last skali saya cadangkan beliau buka trus partition yg tak diperlukan..

bahagian bwh pula saya cadangkan beliau boleh buka atau mahu kekalkan VIP room tuh...
itu saja...dan feedbacknya...(jeng..jeng..jeng..)

Ini lah hasilnya...may god bless u bro...

Ada rezki lebih nanti bantu la pada yang kurang upaya....(pesanan kepada diri sendiri dan juga untuk semua)

No doubt forest encroached

2011-10-20T10:53:00.000+08:00

No doubt forest encroached

Published on: Wednesday, October 19, 2011

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Kota Kinabalu: No settlements or villages have ever been recorded in the Segarong Forest Reserve (Class I Protection) that was gazetted in 1931, 80 years ago, for protection of the environment and as a water catchment for Semporna.

Forestry Director Datuk Sam Mannan said aerial photo images taken in the 1950s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s reflected the virgin and extensive forest cover of Segarong. To re-enforce its conservation status, it was re-gazetted again in 1984 in a statewide exercise.

Unfortunately, over the last 10 years, encroachments crept in with land clearing and crop cultivation, primarily oil palm, so much so that, some 160 hectares (eight per cent) of the total 2,029 hectares, have been plundered with illegal immigrant workers providing labour and a handful of locals as the ultimate beneficiaries, he said.

"Attempts to stop the encroachments in the early days met resistance and interference from various sources, thus giving spirit and moral strength to the encroachers.

"Consequently, the deforestation continued to spread.

Fortunately, the political will is now there to thwart the encroachments before the whole forest reserve disappears as a consequence of mob rule," he said in a statement, Tuesday.

Sam said notices to vacate the area had been given at numerous times over the years to the encroachers but to no avail.

Instead, forest reserve plates marking the boundary of the reserve were repeatedly destroyed and vandalised, he said, adding that not less than eight people have been arrested in Segarong. They were charged in court, penalised and jail sentences served on them in the last four years for various forest offences.

He said despite the arrests and convictions, the encroachers were adamant on annexing the area, in total disregard to the laws of the country.

Sam said there were no settlements in Segarong save for the Bird Nest collectors, who were given occupation permits by the department for their dwellings near the caves to facilitate collection during the harvesting season and to protect the caves.

Segarong is one of a number of Bird's Nest Caves in the East Coast of Sabah, for which intention, the original gazette was made.

The caves therein, are managed under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1998, in which the rights to collect birds' nest were given to a particular community since colonial days.

He also said there were no graveyards or villages in the reserve.

"The encroachers do not live in the reserve and they come from villages far away from the vicinity of Segarong.

"With increasing deforestation of lands outside the reserve system (statelands and alienated lands), the island of forest in Segarong is vital to ensure the survival and viability of the swiflet population in the Semporna Peninsula and the small bird nest industry of Semporna," he said.

Sam said the problem of encroachments, with illegal immigrants providing labour, is a serious problem in the East Coast of Sabah, with Semporna, having a very high incidence of illegal cultivation, illegal occupation and sporadic illegal tree felling for sales in the district.

Even the islands off Semporna, such as Timbun Mata, were a crucible of sporadic but widespread tree felling for planks (bantalans), he said, adding that any attempt to appease the law violators will therefore only exacerbate the situation.

Between 2003 and 2006, he said 732 people were arrested and charged for various forest offences in Sabah, with 471 or 64 per cent of them being illegal immigrants.

While from 2007 to 2010, 492 people were arrested throughout Sabah, with 274 (56 per cent) being illegals. In the case of Semporna, between 2003 and 2006, 202 people were arrested with 118 or 58 per cent being illegal immigrants. For the period 2007 to 2010, 68 illegal immigrants (44 per cent) were arrested in Semporna out of a total of 153 people.

"These statistics represent some of the highest cases of illegal immigrant related forest offences, in the State," he said, adding that if uncontrolled, the situation in Semporna would descend into environmental chaos and the majority of the people of the district will suffer, losing their natural wealth, water catchments, clean water, nature based tourism, and nature reserves, to a handful of law violators.

"This scenario cannot be accepted in a country like Malaysia, where the Rule of Law prevails," he said.

Furthermore, he said the enforcement work against such violators was not restricted to Semporna alone but is carried out successfully throughout the State, including reserves such as Ulu Kalumpang, Andrassy, Madai-Baturong, Sapagaya, Ulu Segama, Garinono and Semporna mangrove reserves amongst others.

Sam said out of the approximately 40,000 hectares of illegal oil palm in forest reserves, at least 20,000 hectares have been retrieved, destroyed and replanted with forest trees by the Forestry Department.

He added that such actions will continue and after the illegal oil palm in Segarong have been removed, the area will be rehabilitated with forest trees.

"Given that the oil palm industry is vital to the economic well being of Sabah, Sabah cannot be seen to tolerate and acquiesce to the loss of rainforests to illegal oil palm, which in the end, will jeopardise the industry as environmental pressure will result in Sabah oil palm being avoided in the world market for being "tainted"," he said.

"Whatever actions the department has taken in Segarong is for the benefit and the greater good of the majority of the people of Sabah and Semporna, in the long run," he said.

Minister in the Chief Minister's Department, Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran had recently urged the Forestry Department to study thoroughly the problem faced by early settlers in Kg Sungai Nasip in Semporna before taking action to demolish the settlement.

Nasir, who is also Senallang Assemblyman, said the department needs to be more responsible in considering the people's welfare instead of taking drastic action to demolish their settlement.

"Don't take drastic action and give the people problem É they need to refer the matter and find a solution because the area has been gazetted as early as in 1984," he said.

Expressing disappointment with the department, Nasir urged Director, Datuk Sam Mannan to come down to the district to conduct an overview and find a way out of the issue.

Nasir was making the comment in response to the Department's action in allegedly demolishing the settlement and crops as well as graveyards of the people in Kg Sungai Nasip.

Bird's nest boom has Malaysian producers drooling

2011-10-20T10:52:00.000+08:00

Bird's nest boom has Malaysian producers drooling

By M. Jegathesan (AFP) – 6 days ago

SITIAWAN, Malaysia — Thousands of swiftlets erupt from their roosts, swirling into a brightening dawn in a riotous ritual that announces the start of each day in this coastal town in northern Malaysia.

But the tiny birds emerge not from natural cave roosts, but from a purpose-built swiftlet "farm" resembling an industrial building that affords easy access to the valuable nests used in bird's nest soup.

Such farms are at the centre of a Malaysian effort to capitalise on the growing world popularity of the soup, a delicacy believed in Chinese society to be an aphrodisiac and provide a range of health benefits.

Strong demand for the so-called "Caviar of the East" from newly wealthy consumers in China and India and in the Middle East is fuelling unprecedented new growth in a world market estimated by Malaysia's government at more than $6 billion.

"The Middle East is our new market. They are feeding bird's nest soup to race horses to make them run faster," said Loke Yeu Loong, managing director of the swiflet farm in the rural coastal town of Sitiawan.

"At the moment, demand outstrips supply."

The cup-shaped collections of twigs are held together by dried swiftlet saliva, which is made into a gelatinous soup credited in China with everything from alleviating asthma to arresting the ageing process.

In 2009, world production reached 3,750 tonnes, 75 percent of which came from Indonesia.

Thailand and Malaysia, where the birds also are found in huge numbers, produced most of the rest.

But safety and environmental concerns have forced a move away from the caves and disused buildings where swiftlets roost, and Malaysian harvesters are today building thousands of surrogate homes for the birds.

Loke opened his first dedicated swiftlet farm in 2009 -- several block-long rows of neatly designed three-storey buildings with sealed doors and windows and hollow interiors -- outside Sitiawan in Perak state.

Enticed by swiftlet mating songs played from loudspeakers, the birds enter via small openings and build their nests.

From just a few hundred individual bird houses in the late 1990s, there are now about 50,000 in Malaysia, according to the government.

Malaysia produced about 275 tonnes of bird's nest in 2010, worth some 1.5 billion ringgit ($470 million), and the government projects output growing to 500 tonnes by 2020.

Demand has pushed the average price of a kilogramme of Malaysia bird's nest to 4,000 ringgit today, four times what it was 20 years ago.

"Obviously at present we can't meet the huge growing consumer demand for edible bird's nest," Loke said.

His firm, Swiftlet Eco Park, is now developing or planning 14 other sites nationwide and aims to become Malaysia's top producer.

The Malaysian industry hatched in the 1980s but gained momentum after the 1997 Asian financial crisis left many property developments abandoned or unfinished.

Resourceful entrepreneurs capitalised on this -- and the lack of industry regulation -- to use many such sites as swiftlet farms.

But they ran into opposition amid complaints that the recorded bird song disturbed human residents and that droppings posed a potential health threat in the avian flu era. Calls for regulation have grown louder.

As a result, government officials say authorities have stopped approving new farms in urban areas and that legislation expected soon would ban them except in rural zones.

Environmentalists criticise the repeated snatching of the birds' diligently built nests, often before they can lay their eggs, as cruel to the swiftlets.

"Our major concern is the distress caused to the birds," said Mohamad Idris, president of the Malaysian branch of Friends of the Earth.

Mohamad Noorhisham, head of swiflet supervision for Malaysia's veterinary services agency, said legislation expected next year would ensure safe, sustainable and bird-friendly development of the industry.

Among other things, it will outlaw harvesting of nests containing chicks.

"We want the industry to be environmentally and people-friendly," he said.

But with the birds plentiful -- the government does not have precise figures -- and processed nests fetching high prices, the growth looks to continue.

Five years ago, swiftlet farmer John Peor had a handful of the purpose-built structures.

Today, his firm Yenzheka Technology has more than 60, producing about 200 kilogrammes of nests per month for export to Hong Kong and China. He hopes to raise monthly output to 500 kilogrammes.

"Buyers book in advance. I sell processed bird's nest for anything between 8,000 to 15,000 ringgit per kilogramme, depending on the grade," he said.

Producers and veterinary officials say that while concerns must be addressed, farming is more sustainable.

"In cave harvesting, where they bid huge sums of money to secure the right to harvest the bird's nest, they need to harvest as many nests as possible," Loke said, adding that meant chicks or eggs were often destroyed.

Loke says his firm does not destroy chicks or eggs, viewing them as the seeds of future growth.

Transparency for proposed swiftlet bill, please!

2011-09-26T10:58:00.000+08:00

Transparency for proposed swiftlet bill, please!

September 23, 2011

FMT LETTER: From SM Mohd Idris, via e-mail

In response to the Swiftlet Bill to be tabled next year to regulate the profitable bird’s nest industry, Sahabat Alam Malaysia urges the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) to disclose more details of the new Bill.

The proposed bill should be open to public debate and consultation. What is important is that the VSD should involve the farm owners, non-swiftlet farm owners who reside near the swiftlet farms, members of the Council comprising representatives from the Government, Maritime, customs and NGOs at the pre-Bill stage to listen to their feedback.

Once all parties involved have reached an understanding and all loopholes plugged, then only should the Bill be tabled in parliament. The drafting of the new law should be an open and transparent process before any guidelines for swiftlet breeding can be passed.

In this case it is crucial to know whether the proposed Bill will be effective in fixing the problem of illegal operators, especially those who set up swiftlet farms in shophouses. Then again many ignorant and errant breeders may not conform to good farming practices to ensure that birds are not subjected to cruelty or abuse and mishandling.

Has the VSD sufficient personnel to enforce the rules, and who will monitor the activities of bird nest collectors to ensure that harvesting is done without disturbance to the birds and their young, especially when many are operating illegally?

Owing to the many public complaints there is a strong case for the bird nest industry to be shifted out from urban areas and heritage sites for reasons best known. Heritage sites have become a housing boom for birds, through the conversion of the heritage buildings for the valued nests.
This has brought about irreparable damage as original doors, plasterwood and features are removed, and sprinklers set up to keep the house humid. This causes dampness and rot to the adjacent properties.

The increasing dense networks of a swiftlet house could create virtual disease flight paths for avian flu, threatening both local bird population and humans as well. Pools of water created for the humidity could provide prime breeding sites for mosquitoes and the spread of dengue and malaria.
health concerns are secondary as swiftlet house owners seem more concerned with the flightiness of the birds themselves. A recording of bird calls screaming at high volume with the noise level above the permissible level is another frequent complaint.

SAM strongly believes that this lucrative business is best suited to areas where the birds naturally feed, over agricultural or forest areas, or in combination with agriculture, in areas of low population.

Breeding activities in specifically zoned agricultural area would address the problem of noise and other nuisance problems caused to residents in urban areas. However care must be taken to ensure that the progressive shut down of section of farms can only take place after the breeding period.

Another issue of major concern is an urgent need for the inclusion of swiftlets into the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) particularly when considering the bulk of edible swiftlet nests transported across international boundaries. Consumer nations will continue to import the nests irrespective of the source.

It is imperative that information on illegal trade within the region be encouraged by all means, especially to identify illegal trade routes and the movements of the individuals concerned. It is important to review the legislation for all range states and consumer countries so as to enable all countries in the region to understand and address the issue of illegal trade.

Lastly the authority for administering legislation controlling the harvest and export of edible-nest swiftlet materials should be vested in the wildlife conservation agency due to their considerable amount of knowledge and research pertaining to the management of swiftlets.

The writer is president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)

Sarang Burung Walit Malaysia Selamat Untuk Eksport

2011-09-26T10:56:00.001+08:00

VSD to conduct spot checks on bird's nest factories

2011-09-09T20:03:00.000+08:00

Posted on 25 August 2011 - 05:26am
Last updated on 25 August 2011 - 09:27am

Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA (Aug 24, 2011): The Veterinary Services Department (VSD) will conduct spot checks on bird’s nest processing factories to ensure only top quality nest is produced for export.

Federation of the Edible Bird’s Nest Merchants Association deputy chairman Datuk Choot Seng Chai said the federation welcomes the move.

He said the move would show consumers in China that Malaysia does not produce low-quality bird’s nest.

“We don’t want the industry’s image to be tarnished by unscrupulous traders. We have never wanted to compromise the health of consumers in China (by poor quality bird’s nest),” he said, with reference to reports in China of fake, poor quality bird’s nest products or “blood” bird’s nest with high levels of nitrite in China, which were said to have come from Malaysia.

He told Oriental Daily News that the bird’s nest industry and the government need to work closely together to restore the confidence of the Chinese in bird’s nest from Malaysia.

He said local bird’s nest merchants are considering hiring independent foreign experts to carry out tests on bird’s nest produced here to give Malaysian products the seal of approval.

Aside from this, he said the government will make arrangements for Chinese government officials to get first-hand knowledge of how bird’s nest is harvested and cleaned.

“This shows that the Malaysian government is concerned over the incident (of Malaysian bird’s nest taken off the shelves in China for having nitrite exceeding the permissible levels).

“We will also show (the Chinese) that we are not a factory churning out fake bird’s nest.”

Choot, who attended a dialogue between the department and players in the bird’s nest industry on Monday, said the government must step in to resolve the controversy surrounding fake bird’s nest.

He said government-to-government negotiations are needed now, following which bird’s nest merchants will have to do the needful to restore Chinese consumers’ confidence in our bird’s nest.

“Perhaps, the bird’s nest merchants may have to get world No. 1 badminton player Datuk Lee Chong Wei’s as brand ambassador for their products to boost the image of Malaysian bird’s nest,” he said in jest.

On department director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin’s remark at the dialogue that the majority of the low-quality bird’s nest found in China are from Indonesia, Choot explained that because Indonesian and Thai bird’s nest merchants cannot export their products direct to China, many of their products are repackaged in Malaysia before they are shipped to Hongkong, and eventually China.

“We don’t know if they (Indonesian merchants) have done anything to the bird’s nest, but unfortunately, Malaysian merchants are taking the rap,” he said.

Vietnam's edible bird's nest industry shows swift growth as demand soars

2011-09-09T20:02:00.000+08:00

HOCHIMIN CITY--With its favorable weather, Vietnam has good potential for farming swifts for edible nests, but local authorities should make zoning plans to ensure the sustainable development of the new industry, a conference heard in Ho Chi Min City last week.

The swift-breeding industry has developed quickly in many places like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia and Hong Kong, producing more than 100 tons of nest annually worth more than US$200 million.

Vietnam has many places suitable for it, and it is likely to become a profitable industry in the country just like other places in the region. Besides developing indoor breeding, local authorities should also make efforts to protect the birds in their natural habitats, mostly on islands, she said.

Global demand for bird's nest is expected to increase by more than 10 percent a year in the next two decades, Le Vo Dinh Tuong of the Ho Chi Min City Institute of Chemical Technology said.

With supply far below demand, prices have spurted. From a mere US$30 per kilo in 1970 the cost increased to US$1,500 per kilo last year.

With proper planning, bird's nest could become one of the country's major export items in the near future, he said.

According to recent statistics, Vietnam produces around 10 tons of birds' nests a year.

Bird's nest tracking system to prevent fakes in M'sian market

2011-09-09T20:01:00.000+08:00

The Star/Asia News Network
Sunday, Aug 14, 2011

LABIS, Johor - The Government has come up with a swiftlet nest tracking system to prevent fake, adulterated or substandard bird's nest products from being distributed in the market.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Chua Tee Yong said the system could help prevent the local bird's nest industry from being tainted by lower quality products.

"This system is still in the trial stage but we believe that once it is fully applied, it will help consumers to differentiate between fake and genuine bird's nest easily," he said, adding that currently, only chemical tests could determine the authenticity of the product.

Chua said this during the commercial launch of the tracking system, which was developed by the Veterinary Services Department, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission together with the Customs Department and the China Inspection and Quarantine unit here yesterday.

Chua explained that recently, there have been concerns, especially from China, pertaining to substandard bird's nest products from Malaysia.

"Most of the time, these products had been adulterated, were fake or sold by some other country and labelled as Malaysian products," he said, adding that this was the main reason for the introduction of the tracking system.

"The system basically includes a radio frequency identification device which allows users to track the product to the original source of production," he said.

He added that the Government had no immediate plans to make the system compulsory for bird's nest farmers but many were already showing interest.

No China ban on bird’s nest

2011-08-10T07:41:00.000+08:00

Wednesday August 10, 2011

PUTRAJAYA: China has not imposed any ban on the import of bird's nests from Malaysia, said Deputy Agriculture Minister Chua Tee Yong.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) in China had confirmed this to the Malaysia agriculture counsellor's office in Beijing, he said.

“There are some quarters who had been spreading rumours that China had banned the import. This is not true,” he said yesterday.

He added that AQSIQ would routinely conduct sampling tests on imported bird's nests at the entry point of China, and reject the importation of such products if the items did not comply with local standards.

“The recent result of sampling tests on bird's nests from Malaysia showed that some samples did not comply with the local standard level of nitrite in China which is zero, and these samples were rejected by China,” he said.

The ministry, added Chua, would meet the Chinese trade counsellor in Malaysia to find an amicable solution to the issue.

Chua said the acceptance level of nitrite in bird's nest in Malaysia is 30ppm (part per million) which is based on the edible bird's nest specification, and is in line with the Food Regulations Act 1985.

He said the Veterinary Department had made a concerted effort to streamline the development of the bird's nest industry in Malaysia.

“We are in the process of producing a guideline book to formulate rules, regulations and laws of the various government agencies in ranching and processing edible bird's nest.

“This is to transform the industry into a structured and sustainable income-generating activity,” he said.

Chua said China imported about RM1bil in bird's nest products and was the biggest importer of the item.

China Has Not Banned Malaysian Bird's Nests

2011-08-10T07:39:00.001+08:00

August 09, 2011 17:24 PM

China Has Not Banned Malaysian Bird's Nests

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- China has not banned bird's nests from Malaysia, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Chua Tee Yong clarified today.

He said the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China had confirmed this to the Malaysian Agriculture Counsellor in Beijing.

The administration last month tested bird's nests from Malaysia and found that samples had not complied with the acceptance level of nitrite in bird's nest in China which is zero.

"The samples did not comply with the zero nitrite requirement and were rejected," Chua told reporters here.

This gave rise to rumours that China had banned bird's nests from Malaysia, he said.

China is believed to be the only country requiring zero nitrite for bird's nests.

Chua said that only five to six bird's nests producers in Malaysia could comply with the zero nitrite rule.

He said that ministry officials would meet the China trade counsellor in Malaysia to discuss the ruling.

-- BERNAMA

Lull in lucrative industry expected as price of bird’s nest drops after ban by China

2011-08-09T09:15:00.001+08:00

Tuesday August 9, 2011

Lull in lucrative industry expected as price of bird’s nest drops after ban by China

By JACK WONG
jackwong@thestar.com.my

KUCHING: The price of unprocessed white bird’s nest in Sarawak has dropped by more than 10% after China banned the import of Malaysian bird’s nest a month ago.

Sarawak Bird’s Nest Suppliers Association secretary Colin Wong Chung Onn said the price had slipped to around RM3,900 per kg from an average of RM4,500 per kg due to declining demand.

He said the price varied according to quality and grades.

China, which has been importing from only Malaysia and Singapore, banned Malaysian bird’s nest after it was found to contain nitrite.

Last year, the association estimated that there were some 5,000 birdhouses statewide, more than doubled the number in 2009.

The number is believed to have grown significantly in the past eight months as big-time investors have been constructing double or three-storey concrete shophouses to breed the swiftlets, as it is a lucrative business.

Sarawak’s first swiftlet eco-park, a RM40mil joint venture between the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and peninsula-based Borneo Resources Synergy Sdn Bhd, is expected to be ready in Balingian, Mukah Division next year. The park will have 40 three-storey units and 15 three-storey bungalow units.

Early birdhouses were mostly converted from unoccupied or under-utilised wooden or concrete shophouses or residential homes. Most of them are found in Mukah and Sarikei Divisions.

Wong said the ban by China would discourage new investment in the industry.

“Most of the local birdhouse operators sell their raw nests to the collectors or middlemen. More than half of the collectors send the bird’s nests to Indonesia for processing,” he told The Star yesterday.

Wong said some of the processed bird’s nests were sold back to Malaysia to be exported under the Malaysian brand.

He said the association suspected that irresponsible traders in Indonesia or China could have processed the bird’s nests using excessive nitrite to dampen the industry.

“We are now lobbying for China to accept 30 parts per million of nitrite in bird’s nests as this level is allowed by the World Health Organisation as a preservative in foodstuff,” he added.

Wong said the association was affiliated to the Malaysian Federation of Bird’s Nest Merchant Association, which is now working closely with the Health Ministry to resolve the issue with the authorities in China.

“We hope to get a response from the Chinese authorities soon,” he said, adding that it was impossible to get zero nitrite level in bird’s nests.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said last week that his ministry was carrying out a study to develop a specific standard for swiftlet nests and its products under the Food Regulations 1985.

Liow said his ministry would work with the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry to ascertain the safety of raw swiftlet nests at farm level.

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2011-08-09T08:55:00.003+08:00

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akan diberi penerangan dan diberi nasihat serta tunjuk ajar secara percuma supaya lebih memahami industri ini dan boleh membangunkan sendiri RBW nya kemudian hari.
menambah jaringan kenalan (networking).
penjagaan dan kawal selia RBW diurus oleh pihak saya selama tempoh kontrak.

Kepada yang berminat boleh hubungi saya seperti nombor yang tertera di atas....

Terima Kasih..

Bird's nest ban 'will hurt exporters in long run'

2011-08-09T08:51:00.001+08:00

Bird's nest ban 'will hurt exporters in long run'

New Straits Times
Sunday, Aug 07, 2011

By Ling Poh Lean

KUALA LUMPUR - China's recent ban on the import of bird's nests from Malaysia will have an impact on local exporters in the long run if nothing is done to resolve the issue.

Sarawak Bird's Nest Import and Export Association chairman Liew Tian Liang said at the moment, the effect of the ban was minimal.

"But it will have a major impact on the local bird's nest industry in the long run," he said yesterday when commenting on the temporary ban imposed last month after China allegedly found that samples of the product contained 200 parts per million (ppm) of nitrate.

The standard level allowed in food by the World Health Organisation is 34ppm.

Last Friday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai had disputed China's allegation, saying the level of nitrate in locally produced bird's nests was 30ppm.

He had also said Health Ministry officials would meet their counterparts in China to resolve the issue.

In Sarawak, Liew said, exporters were still managing and that some were even facing a shortage as it was currently not the season for bird's nest.

"However, this will affect the local industry if China continues to impose the ban for a long time."

A survey conducted by Liew in the state showed that good-quality, raw bird's nests were now sold for between RM4,100 (S$1,700) and RM4,150 per kilogramme. Just a few months ago, the price was RM4,500 per kg.

In Johor, an expert on bird's nests, Dr Tan Boon Siong, said while the government was trying to resolve the issue with China, local harvesters should ensure that their farms were well maintained.

"We should look at the root of the problem and not simply blame China, which has set a high standard on its import of bird's nests. It is all about hygiene at farms. The level of nitrate will be high if there is poor hygiene."

A harvester from Perak, who wanted to be known only as Lim, said the ban would have a huge impact on major operators if not lifted soon.

"For small operators like me, we have regular customers who trust our products. But things could become critical for major operators who largely depend on the China market."

Group: Getting zero nitrite level in bird’s nest impossible

2011-08-04T15:01:00.000+08:00

Group: Getting zero nitrite level in bird’s nest impossible

By WINNIE YEOH
winnie@thestar.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: It is not possible to get zero nitrite level in bird's nest as it is a naturally occurring chemical, Malaysian Federation of Bird's Nest Merchant Associations secretary Carole Loh said.

“Moreover, the World Health Organisation allows 30 parts per million of nitrite, which is widely used as a preservative in foodstuff.

“Nitrite can also find its way into the bird's nest during the cleaning stage as the use of reverse osmosis water has been found to increase the nitrite level,” she said.

Loh, who is also president of Association for Swiftlet Nests Industry of Penang, said China had banned Malaysian bird's nest in early July after it was found to contain nitrite.

“We are urging the Federal Government to hold talks with the Chinese government.

“We are hoping for a government-to-government talk as soon as possible as the export of bird's nest is a multi-million ringgit industry,” she said.

Loh said federation members also recently met up with Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Deputy Minister Chua Tee Yong in Putrajaya over the matter.

“In the meantime, birdhouse operators have been advised to take precautions and reduce nitrite traces in bird's nests by using effective microorganism water solution in the houses.

“Operators also have to keep the birdhouses clean and follow the guidelines given by the Veterinary Department.”

“Blood nest” a much sought-after variety of bird's nest was also banned after it was found to be tainted with chemicals.

Two local bird's nest manufacturers were ordered to cease operations last year for adding nitrates from artificial red colouring to produce “blood nest”.

Chua had said their unethical practice was discovered after the ministry received complaints from China importers.

Bird's nest is among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans and has been used in Chinese cooking for over 400 years, mostly as bird's nest soup.

Kalimantan Enjoys an Edible Housing Boom

2011-08-04T14:57:00.001+08:00

Kalimantan Enjoys an Edible Housing Boom

A freshly harvested bird’s nest collected from a cave of swiftlets. Indonesia’s bird’s nest industry generated $226 million in 2009. (AFP Photo)

Along the spine-jarring road that runs through Sukadana on the South China Sea, in between the sparse, water-logged shacks of corrugated aluminum and wood, tall, colorful buildings have begun to sprout.

They tower over their low-slung surroundings with dollhouse facades, colored in baby blues, sunshine yellows and ruby reds.

Sukadana, a small coastal city in West Kalimantan, is in the midst of a building boom. But the new houses are not for people. They are giant birdhouses that play an all-day siren call through booming speakers to a small bird that makes edible nests that — at almost $2,200 a kilogram — produce a broth that is highly prized, and highly priced, in China.

‘’They actually look nicer than a lot of the real houses,” said Andrew Teixeira de Sousa, field director for the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program, which is active in the nearby Gunung Palung National Park. “But that’s just because there’s a lot more money going into those buildings.”

The bird — called, appropriately enough, the edible-nest swiftlet — makes its nest by regurgitating long strands of sticky saliva onto the wall of a cave or house, as the case may be. These strands harden into a woven cup that provides a cradle for their young that hangs from the bare wall.

Many Chinese believe that these hardened cups, when married with broth, bestow special health benefits. Some Web sites claim the nests can help fight disease, aid blood flow, strengthen the body, moisturize the skin and even help mothers recover their youthful figures more rapidly after childbirth.

The edible bird’s nest has been in Indonesia for hundreds of years, but it wasn’t until the advent of the CD player that the boom really took off, said Lim Chan Koon, a senior lecturer at the University of Malaysia and co-author of “The Swiftlets of Borneo.”

Before then, people would venture into caves to gather the nests. “People just let the birds stay or did nothing to improve the roosting areas,” Lim said. But that changed in recent decades. “Some wise guy thought of using playback of the swiftlets’ vocalization to lure them into purposely built structures imitating the cave-like environment.”

Once enticed inside, the swiftlets encounter an environment designed to keep them regurgitating comfortably. Small openings in the rear of the building allow them access but keep predators out. A series of air holes allows air to circulate but keeps crosswinds to a whisper.

There are large bird feeders, and open-faced water tanks provide bathing and drinking water. Misters hooked to a thermostat keep the temperatures inside cool despite the blistering daytime heat.

A medium-size three-story swiftlet house can reportedly cost up to $16,000 — a prohibitive sum for many in this impoverished area. Still, the houses are going up.

New York Times

Housing Boom, if You’re a Bird

2011-08-04T14:50:00.002+08:00

Housing Boom, if You’re a Bird

By JEFFERY DelVISCIO

Published: July 13, 2011

SUKADANA, Indonesia — Along the spine-jarring road that runs through this city on the South China Sea, in between the sparse, waterlogged shacks of corrugated aluminum and wood, colorful buildings have begun to sprout.

They tower over their low-slung surroundings with dollhouse facades, colored in baby blues, sunshine yellows and ruby reds.

Sukadana, a small coastal city in western Borneo, is in the midst of a building boom. But the new houses are not for people. They are giant birdhouses playing an all-day siren call through booming speakers to a small bird whose edible nests — at almost $1,000 a pound — produce a broth that is highly prized, and highly priced, in China.

“They actually look nicer than a lot of the real houses,” said Andrew Teixeira de Sousa, field director for the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program, which is active in the nearby Gunung Palung National Park. “But that’s just because there’s a lot more money going into those buildings.”

The bird — called, appropriately enough, the edible-nest swiftlet — makes its nest by regurgitating long strands of sticky saliva onto the wall of a cave or house, as the case may be. These strands harden into a woven cup, weighing on average about a third of an ounce, that provides a cradle for the birds’ young and hangs from the wall.

Many Chinese believe that these hardened cups, when married with broth, bestow special health benefits. Some Web sites claim the nests can help fight disease, aid blood flow, strengthen the body, moisturize the skin and even help mothers recover their youthful figures more rapidly after childbirth. One company advises women to feed their babies nest fragments dissolved in milk to “give the infant a flexible mind.”

Real or not, the supposed health benefits of the nests have allowed sellers to charge a premium price. Iskandar, a village official in Riam Berasap Jaya who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said a good quality nest that had the classical cup shape and was free of dirt and feathers could fetch $11 to $23.

Mr. Iskandar, a former illegal logger, shares a property line with a swiftlet house; he has many friends involved in the trade and is saving up for one of his own. Since most of the forests in the area have been bought up by palm plantations, he says, the logging business is not what it once was.

The edible bird’s nest has been in Indonesia for hundreds of years, but it wasn’t until the advent of the CD player that the boom really took off, said Lim Chan Koon, of the University of Malaysia, the co-author of “The Swiftlets of Borneo.”

Before then, people would venture into caves to gather the nests. “Some wise guy thought of using playback of the swiftlets’ vocalization to lure them into purposely built structures imitating the cavelike environment,” he said.

Once enticed inside, the swiftlets encounter an environment designed to keep them regurgitating comfortably. Small openings in the rear of the building allow them access but keep predators out. Holes allow air to circulate but keep crosswinds to a whisper.

There are large bird feeders, and open-face water tanks provide bathing and drinking water. Misters keep the temperatures inside cool despite the blistering daytime heat.

Getting started in swiftlet farming requires what is, for this part of the world, a significant amount of money. Mr. Iskandar said a medium-size three-story swiftlet house can cost about $16,000 — a prohibitive sum for many.

Still, the houses keep going up. Almost every kink in the winding roads here reveals another. On some of the straighter stretches, the houses sit in clusters of threes and fours.

In the early morning and evening when the birds return from foraging, the jostling around the entrances seems like an avian freeway exchange — a black roiling mass of thousands of birds, each entering and exiting faster than the human eye can track. And between the birds and the electronic calls, the chirping never stops.

Economists estimate the total value of the nesting trade ranges anywhere from tens of millions of dollars to anyone’s guess. “The bird’s nest industry is in the informal sector of Indonesia’s economy that is difficult to estimate,” said Fauzi Ichsan, a senior economist with Standard Chartered Bank.

But the unregulated industry is also raising concerns that Indonesian swiftlet farmers could be producing more than just nests. Indonesia is acutely sensitive to bird-related disease scares. Since 2003, H5N1, better known as the avian flu, has caused 146 deaths and fueled global fears of a pandemic, and the toll in Indonesia is the highest in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

Some are concerned that the increasingly dense networks of swiftlet houses could create disease flight paths for the avian flu, threatening both the local bird populations and potentially humans, as well. Almost as worrisome are the large water tanks inside each house that provide prime breeding sites for mosquitoes that could carry dengue fever and malaria — two tropical diseases of particular concern in Borneo.

The profusion of bird droppings that cover the buildings and the surrounding areas is also a concern. “When it’s dry, the wind will carry any particles and germs in it, possibly causing various respiratory diseases,” said Trisasi Lestari, a physician and researcher in the public health department of Gadjah Mada University.

But on the roads around Sukadana, potential health concerns seemed secondary, and swiftlet house owners seemed more concerned with the flightiness of the birds themselves.

In Riam Berasap Jaya village, Budi sat in a sweltering room staring at a mostly blank closed-circuit television screen. A recording of bird calls screamed at high volume in the next room. It had been six months since his swiftlet house was finished, but only a few nests dotted the walls.

Luck, Mr. Budi says, plays as great a role as preparation in swiftlet farming. You see, he said with a sigh, you can entice an edible-nest swiftlet to a birdhouse, but you can’t make it nest.

Mariamah Achmad contributed reporting from Ketapang, Indonesia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/world/asia/14sukadana.html?_r=1

2009-06-20T15:28:00.000+08:00

June 20, 2009
Summer visitor making a swift exit

You know summer has arrived when you see swifts speeding through the air, screaming their heads off and swooping into crevices in buildings.

But fewer and fewer of us are enjoying this spectacle as the RSPB has discovered that the swift is in serious trouble.

Swift numbers have declined by 47% in the last ten years. And for the first time, the summer migrant has been added to the amber list meaning it is of serious conservation concern. (See note 1).

A major cause of this decline is believed to be the loss of nest sites through building improvement or demolition. They nest almost exclusively on buildings, so they really need our help.

The RSPB is launching a nationwide search to identify where swifts are still seen and could be nesting.

Swifts pair for life and return to the same nest site each spring. Their nests are located high up in the roof spaces under the eaves of old buildings in particular, and renovation, repair or demolition work is leaving many of them homeless.

The wildlife charity is appealing to us all to look out for low-level screaming groups of swifts, a good sign they are breeding nearby, or where we have seen swifts nesting – perhaps entering a roof or hole in the building. They would like any sightings reported to them via a form on their website (www.rspb.org.uk/helpswifts). The best time to look is around dusk on a warm, still evening.

Once the charity has discovered more about where swifts are found it will focus its conservation efforts in areas where they are commonly seen and work with the building industry to help birds in buildings.

The RSPB is also suggesting a number of simple measures that could help the fast dwindling swift population.

1. It is crucial to leave any existing nest sites undisturbed where possible. Swifts will use the same nest sites again and again.

2. If you do need to carry out repair work on your roof or faschias and soffits for example, make new nest access holes to match the old ones at exactly the same spot.

3. If you are building a new house, you could create some internal nest spaces at the design stage.

4. If you are unable to do any of these, the other alternative is to fit a custom-made swift box.

Sarah Niemann, RSPB Species Recovery Officer says: “Sharing your house with swifts is a great privilege. They are not obtrusive at all, in fact they make perfect, quiet neighbours. They build their nests right next to the entrance hole so they don’t get into your roof space and they cause no damage.

“The fact they are declining so rapidly is of huge concern to the RSPB, which is why we’re asking people to help us find out where they are so we can focus our efforts in the right place.

“If you see or hear swifts screaming at rooftop level or slipping into holes please tell us!”

Swifts are dark brown but often look black against the sky. Their wings are long and narrow and their tail slightly forked, but not as much as a swallow’s. They have a piercing, screaming call and nest in colonies which makes it appear even louder.

Swifts spend their life almost entirely on the wing and even feed, sleep and mate in flight. They feed exclusively on insects and only come to land when nesting.

They hunt for insects over a wide area and range of habitats from meadows, open water and over woods to the skies above towns and cities. An abundant supply of insects is critical for their survival. Parent swifts collect lots of insects to take back to their chicks – up to 1,000 at once which make a big bulge in their throat. When they have chicks to feed, swifts can gather as many as 100,000 insects a day.

Sarawak's Bird Nest Industry Still In Dilemma

2009-05-24T14:37:00.000+08:00

May 22, 2009 20:10 PM

Sarawak's Bird Nest Industry Still In Dilemma

By Syed Azwan Syed Ali

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- Probably not many are aware that Malaysia's bird nest industry has grown to RM1 billion per annum in its value following the large scale migration of the edible nest swiftlet from Indonesia about 10 years ago.

The figure is expected to increase due to the steady demand from China where the bird nest soup is a popular delicacy especially among the well heeled segment of the society.

Malaysia is the world's third biggest producer of bird's nest after Indonesia and Thailand with an average of 12 tonnes of nests produced monthly.

The nests made by the edible-nest swiftlet (aerodramus fuciphagus) and the black-nest swiftlet (aerodramus maximus) in Malaysia is said to be of better quality.

LICENSING ISSUES RETARDING THE INDUSTRY

Nevertheless, of late there has been some concerns over the licensing problems of more than 1,500 swiftlet farms in Sarawak that could retard the industry.

In Peninsular Malaysia, swiftlet farms are allowed to be set up within shop houses and commercial lots in towns according to conditions set, but such setups are not allowed within towns in Sarawak.

This is because the Sarawak's Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998 does not allow swiftlet farming within towns. At the same time, the state has no guidelines to allow swiftlet farming in towns unlike in Peninsular Malaysia.

Furthermore the Wildlife Protection Rules (Edible Bird Nests) 1998 and Wildlife Protection Rules 1998 expounds that the species can only be bred in agricultural areas in outskirts other that its original habitat like caves.

"By right, the state government should support the industry and liaise with the federal government by having a uniform guideline in swiftlet farming," said Koh Ung Leong to Bernama when met in Sibu recently.

The veterinarian said as the edible-nest swiftlet has high economic value, the industry helps to boost local real estate value and serves as a viable alternative to farmers and fishermen.

A survey conducted by Bernama found that many swiftlet farms have been set up in special structures and altered shophouses in towns along the coast line in Mukah, Sibu, Sarikei and Bintulu.

The state's edible-nest swiftlet merchants association earlier had sought the intervention of Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to find a solution for the dilemma following strict enforcement in Mukah since last October.

THE CURRENT STATUS

Currently there is more than 1,500 swiftlet farms but only two have been licensed by the authorities. This means 99.8 percent of the swiftlet farms in the state is illegal.

"We hope the state government will prepare a guideline similar to the one in Peninsula. We will fully cooperate with the state to solve this issue," said the pro-tem chairman of the Sarikei edible-nest swiftlet merchants association, Wong Hua Ting.

On this issue, the state government has two choices whether to centralise swiftlet farming in a particular location by setting up an eco-park or adapt a specific guideline on swiftlet farming.

"It is impossible to transfer these birds. The swiftlet is not like chicken or duck to be caught and transferred. These birds have made their bird houses as the nest," said the chairman of the federation of Malaysian edible-nest swiftlet merchants association Datuk Beh Heng Seong.

At present, it is still not clear whether the swiftlets can be transferred moreover it is a species protected under the Wildlife Act 1972. As there are risks of the birds dying during transfer, especially the chicks, it is almost impossible to transfer them.

The question remains how the state government especially the Sarawak Forestry Department (SFD) and the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) will handle the issue without leaving anyone in the losing end including the owners of the swiftlet farms.

THE STAND TAKEN ON THE ISSUE

The Director General of SFD who is also Chief Executive of the SFC Datuk Len Talif Salleh stressed that the industry should be developed systematically based on the existing laws.

"Many of those seeking license are in towns which by the definition of the law they do not qualify," said Len Talif adding that the risks of epidemics like bird flu being the reason why the state government does not want to allow swiftlet farming in towns.

There were also complaints from the public on the stench from the bird droppings and the din from the speaker to entice the swiftlets to nest in the farms.

Len Talif also claimed that the setting up of swiftlet farms within towns disrupts business for some especially those in the food business or having stalls near the farms.

"There should not be guideline to setup the birdhouse in town. This contravenes the law," he said adding that the state government will build an eco-park and provide licenses for individuals keen in setting up the swiftlet farms on agricultural land in the rural areas.

BUREAUCRACY HURDLES

Many of the swiftlet farm owners see red over the bureaucracy involving the Land and Survey Department, Sarawak Planning Authority (SPA), SFC and the local government as the red tape is a serious impediment in getting a license for swiftlet farming.

Furthermore as there is no guarantee that the birds will nest in the proposed eco-park, that is why they want the state government to adopt the Veterinary Services Department's Best Practices in Animal Breeding (GAHP) for the swiftlet farming.

GAHP, which is among the conditions for licensing in Peninsula, has set certain specifications to ensure the swiftlet farms are set up in a conducive and environmentally friendly environment, which among others the noises from the speakers should not exceed 40 decibels and the speaker cone set facing the sky in a 60 degree angle to overcome noise pollution.

"We talk about "1Malaysia" which means the same law for everyone. Why then the state government does not want to accept this guideline," said a bird nest trader from Mukah, John Low.

He was referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's statement encouraging the people especially the Bumiputeras to venture into swiftlet farming that can boost the local economy.

The Mukah edible-nest swiftlet merchants association protem chairman, Philip Tiong, wanted the authorities to hold a dialog with swiftlet farm owners to find a solution for the dilemma and any `one way dialog' ordering them to shift out should never be the option.

CLAIMS OF MONOPOLY

Nonetheless, several swiftlet farm owners claimed that the setting up of the eco-park including in Mukah is the work of some to monopolise the industry.

This is because a kilogramme of the bird's nest can fetch RM4,000 and the figure doubles after the nests are processed for export to China, Hong Kong and Korea.

If the Mukah district can produce 100 kilogrammes of bird nest valued at RM400,000 monthly, just imagine the amount of revenue that can be generated by 40,000 swiftlet farms all over the country.

Though the allegations of monopoly is yet to be proven, the authorities should attend immediately to the current impasse that can derail the government's plan to develop the bird nest industry.

Meanwhile, head of the swiftlet unit of the Veterinary Services Department Dr Fadzilah A'ini Abdul Kadir noted that the department, which is the leading agency in monitoring the swiftlet industry, is keeping track on the developments in the industry.

Since the last three years, more than 5,000 samples of the swiftlet have been tested by the department and so far they have been free from bird flu and Newcastle disease, said Dr Fadzilah.

-- BERNAMA

Tourists caught unaware about new ruling on birds' nest

2009-04-17T17:49:00.000+08:00

Tourists caught unaware about new ruling on birds' nest
Kong See Hoh

PENANG (April 15, 2009) : A new ruling prohibiting the import and export of bird's nest without a permit caught tourists unaware, resulting in them losing hundreds of thousands of ringgit as they have to surrender the delicacy on leaving the country.

Under the rule, it is an offence to bring into or take out of the country even a single cup of bird's nest unless a permit is obtained from the Wildlife and National Park Department.

Malaysia Bird’s Nest Merchants Association president Datuk Beh Heng Seong told Oriental Daily News that cases of ignorant tourists having to forfeit bird's nest at the immigration chechpoints are happening.

He estimated that hundreds of kilos of bird's nest worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit have been confiscated at the country's exit points.

Beh said he has been receiving complaints from members of the association on tourists having to surrender such prized gift item because they are not aware of the ban.

He believed the ruling would not only affect the bird's nest industry but also leave a negative impression of Malaysia on the tourists.

He said he understands the ruling is aimed at putting a stop to the smuggling of bird's nest out of the country, but deems it ridiculous for the authorities concerned to want tourists taking home some bird's nest to go all the way to the Wildlife and National Park Department to get a permit.

"Worse still, it takes four days to get obtain a permit. How do you expect a tourist to wait four days for a permit?"

According to the report, an one-off permit costs RM200 and bird's nest is subject to an export duty of RM100 per kg.

Beh lamented the lack of Wildlife and National Park Department counters at exit points and tourists caught unaware of the new ruling could only forfeit their bird's nest.

He said the government, which has always encouraged Malaysians to buy local products, should provide all the convenience and necessary assistance to foreigner visitors wanting to buy bird's nest, least to discourage them.

He said the cultivation of bird's nest is lucrative industry, bringing in about RM1 billion a year in foreign exchange.

He urged the new cabinet to take a serious view of the problem.

A bird's nest cultivator who did not want to be identified wondered why the authorities are so strict with tourists who just want to take home some bird's nest for own their consumption or as gifts for friends and relatives.

He said if the government allows a person to take out of the country up to 200 sticks of cigarettes and up to one litre of liquor at a time, there is no reason why a similar rule cannot be applied to bird's nest.

He suggested the authorities allow each tourist to carry up to a kilogramme of bird's nest without permit.

Meanwhile, an officer of the department in Penang dismissed allegations that it takes four days to obtain a permit.

He said the most it takes is half a day.

"If you come at 8am you might even get it done by 8.30am," he said.

He said the ruling is to curb smuggling of bird's nest which fetches as much as RM3,000 a kg.

Edible-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) or black-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus maximus) are protected species under Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 and anyone caught importing or exporting them without a permit can be fined up to RM3,000 or jailed up to three years or both.

Birds' nest industry reaping profits in Malaysia

2009-04-17T17:47:00.000+08:00



Birds' nest industry reaping profits in Malaysia
By George Francis MIRI - The edible birds' nests industry is growing in Malaysia and is currently the third largest producers in the world, after Indonesia and Thailand, said Malaysian director general of veterinary services department, Datuk Dr Abd Aziz Jamaluddin. He said the export value last year from Peninsula Malaysia alone was over RM1 billion excluding from Sabah and Sarawak, which the latter contributed at more than one RM100 million. The products are exported to Hong Kong, China, Japan and Korea, he said, adding, there were plans to penetrate the Middle East and European markets. "We want to go direct to China, a major consuming country rather than via Hong Kong; a question of bilateral trade ties here is yet to be overcomed," he told reporters after officiating at the 'Veterinary-Consumer Month' state level held here. He said the veterinary services department plays a leading role in the swiftlet farming industry, and hence a national conference on the industry had been proposed to be held this year. "It is a continuously lucrative industry with high prices at international markets so we want to advance the methodology of swiftlet farming and to mechanise the processing sector in the country," he said. As the industry continues to expand and grow, more and more supplies of edible birds' nests sourced from purpose-built farms that are constructed specially to house edible nests swiflets find their way into the supply chain. The industry needs restructuring, he said, to benefit more new players and villagers if they have the land in semi-urban or rural areas as of now it is mushrooming in the urban areas. The feeding habitat always develop more or less around urban areas' built-in-houses now instead of natural rural habitat. He said the industry has long illustrious history for the last 100 years in operation and mainly sourced from indigenous suppliers who collect the nests from caves, which are the natural habitat of edible nests swiflets.

Bird Nest Entrepreneurs Want Taib To Intervene

2009-02-16T05:11:00.000+08:00

February 15, 2009 13:51 PM

Bird Nest Entrepreneurs Want Taib To Intervene

By Syed Azwan Syed Ali

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 (Bernama) -- Bird nest entrepreneurs in Mukah want Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to intervene and help save the birdhouses from destruction.

"We don't have any other choice and only the chief minister can help solve the problem. A solution is needed for the benefit of all parties," said John Low, one of the bird nest entrepreneurs.

Low is among the 150 bird nest entrepreneurs in Mukah who operate illegal birdhouses, to be destroyed by Forestry Department rangers on Tuesday.

He told BERNAMA of the 150 bird nest entrepreneurs, only two had been given licence to operate. Sarawak has some 1,500 birdhouses.

On Oct 14 last year, rangers from the Forestry Department destroyed two birdhouses at Medan Setiaraya and the new township in Mukah.

"We just want the government to legalise the birdhouses. Prepare a guideline and we will follow it," said Mukah Bird Nest Entrepreneurs Association chairman Philip Tiong.

In Sarawak, the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998 states that birds can only live in its natural like caves, not in urban areas and the outskirt.

Unlike the other states, the Sarawak government has yet to come up with a guideline for swallow rearing for the sake of the public and environment.

In peninsular Malaysia, swallow rearing is allowed at commercial lots or shophouses but not residential areas.

Sarawak bird nest entrepreneurs wanted a dialogue with the Veterinary Services Department, relevant agencies and local authorities to find a solution to the problem.

"This is to address the problem and assist them to relocate to designated zones, to comply with proper rules and regulations like pig farming.

"At this moment, all the bird nest entrepreneurs are in the dark about the requirements," said Ben Chai.

He proposed that bird nest entrepreneurs be given a a two year grace period to relocate to new areas.

An industry source said the state government had two choices, relocate the birdhouses or prepare a guideline just like that in peninsular.

There are more than 10,000 swallow birdhouse premises nationwide producing over 12 tonnes of bird nests worth some RM500 million monthly.

-- BERNAMA

Rumah Walit Ahli PUSHPIAM

2009-02-16T04:47:00.001+08:00

2009-01-06T17:19:00.002+08:00

Site Visit - 28122008

2009-01-06T15:01:00.001+08:00

Rising investments in swiftlet farming boost Malaysia’s bird nest exports

2008-12-13T20:49:00.003+08:00

Saturday December 13, 2008

Stories By ERROL OH

ALL businesses are built on blood, sweat and tears, at least in the figurative sense. But one industry thrives on another bodily fluid – saliva. Bird saliva, that is. And not just any bird. It has to be the swiftlet, whose nests of hardened spit have been a delicacy treasured by the Chinese for centuries.

Depending on the quality, marketplace and timing, a kilogramme of unprocessed edible bird nest can fetch a few thousand ringgit.

The processing, a tedious and labour-intensive affair, typically doubles the value of the nests. Quoting a senior Sabah government official, a news report early last month says bird nest is sold at RM4,000 to RM18,000 per kg.

The global market is said to be worth billions of ringgit. Thanks to its head start of 20 years or so in swiftlet farming on a commercial scale, Indonesia supplies 70% to 80% of the bird nests consumed worldwide, mainly in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Macau, Singapore and North America.

Heng believes swiftlet farming is a great investment opportunity

However, swiftlet farming is an increasingly visible business in Malaysia. Given the high rate of innovation and adoption here, there is a good chance of Malaysia growing its current market share of about 10%.

(Some people use the words ranching or breeding instead of farming. Actually, none is accurate because the operators merely provide a nesting environment for the birds, which come and go freely. Perhaps a more appropriate term is swiftlet hosting.)

Dr Christopher Lim, a nephrologist who has succeeded as a part-time swiftlet farmer and has authored a how-to book on the subject, says there are about 22,000 swiftlet farms (also known as swiftlet hotels, swiftlet houses or birdhouses) in Malaysia. He estimates that there are 200 new ones every month.

This explains the increasing frequency of complaints from residents and business owners about birdhouses in their neighbourhoods.

If you happen to be near swiftlet farms, it will not take you long to notice them. You will hear loud, piercing chirps filling the sky. This comes from CDs that are played to attract the birds. And if you look around, you are likely to spot windowless buildings (usually shophouses) that have been renovated or built to host feathered occupants.

Birdhouse boom

The list of towns that have become known for this activity is lengthening. There are such places in just about every state. What these towns usually have in common are proximity to agricultural and forest land, and relatively low levels of industrial activity.

The first element is important because farms, plantations and jungles support the swiftlets’ diet of flying insects. The lack of factories in the vicinity matters because air pollution is anathema to the birds.

You can find many swiftlet farms in Perak (in Sitiawan, Ipoh, Teluk Intan and Taiping, for example), Pahang (Kuantan, Rompin, Pekan), Kelantan (Kota Baru, Tumpat), Terengganu (Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Besut) and Kedah (Sungai Petani).

Even the more developed states, such as Selangor, Johor and Penang have their share of areas that have attracted investments in swiftlet farming.

Mohammad says guidelines on acceptable practices in swiftlet farming are available

Until recently, the industry in Malaysia had maintained a low profile. The operators that were doing well were unwilling to share information and knowledge. The secrets to profitable swiftlet farming stayed within a tight circle and this was a major barrier to entry.

Still, there is no holding back the desire to make money. Despite the lack of transparency, the trickle of newcomers had eventually led to a critical mass that kicked the doors wide open some five years ago.

The key attraction here is the lure of lucrative returns from a passive investment. The idea is simple – put up a well-designed and well-equipped swiftlet farm at the right spot, and the rest will fall in place. The birds will come and soon, you can keep harvesting their nests for many years.

“It’s a gold mine,” says Mohammad Azimullah, manager of Swiftlets Venture International (SVI), a consultancy outfit.

“You put in RM500,000 and if your location is good, you can net RM1mil a year within four years. Where else in the world can you find such a business?”

Kelvin Heng of Pearlnest, which does trading and consulting work, is convinced that swiftlet farming is currently the best investment opportunity in Malaysia.

He explains: “You invest only once. You don’t have to come out with money every month to pay maintenance and workers’ salaries. If the farm is successful, you can collect thousands of ringgit every month.”

On a wing and a prayer

There are, of course, a lot of ifs and buts to deal within this fledgeling industry. A lot of people have rushed into it and many of them have crashed and burned.

Lim reckons that about 80% of the birdhouses in Malaysia are failed projects.

Mohammad of SVI has a slightly different take. He says the failure rate is 60%, but adds that of the rest, half are considered only marginally successful.

The concept of swiftlet farming is uncomplicated, but the execution is technically challenging if the farmers do not understand what makes the birds tick.

Many parameters determine the suitability of a farm’s location, and these include food availability, weather and geographical conditions, and nearby industrial activities.

The design of the birdhouse can be equally tricky. In the wild, swiftlets nest in caves. So, the idea is to simulate a cave environment, which means temperature, lighting, humidity, smell and space are often make-or-break features.

In addition, well-designed birdhouses make it easy for the swiftlets to fly in and out and to nest. They should also be built in such a way so as to protect the birds from predators and to minimise antagonising the neighbours.

The last objective is crucial because many times, the local authorities have shut down swiftlet farming operations following objections from other rate-payers.

A common problem is the noise from the birdcall recordings. Lim blames this on the farmers’ ignorance.

“If you know how to properly design and run the farms, the neighbours won’t be bothered by the sounds. You want to attract birds, not humans,” he argues.

Heng of Pearlnest agrees: “The farmers turn up the volume like it’s karaoke. You have to be considerate. And you don’t have to play the sound the whole day. There’s no point in that anyway.”

SVI’s Mohammad points out that the Veterinary Services Department and some local authorities have already come up with guidelines on acceptable practices in swiftlet farming. Therefore, the best way for swiftlet farmers to safeguard their investments is to just stick to the rules.

He says: “People should go for purpose-built birdhouses. We never recommend building birdhouses in shophouses.” He foresees that in 10 years, the practice of converting shophouses into bird farms will be outlawed.

NOTE: THERE ARE MANY CONSULTANCY COMPANY OF THE BIRD'S NEST INDUSTRY OUT THERE..BUT I SUGGEST THAT DO SOME RESEARCH FIRST REGARDING THEIR EXPERIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, PRICE AND SERVICES OFFERED TO YOU..

SWALLOW BIRD NEST INDUSTRY HAS HUGE POTENTIAL

2008-12-08T12:51:00.002+08:00

KUANTAN, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- The swallow bird nest industry should be encouraged and assisted to become a new source of income for the country what with the economic slowdown.

Debating the state budget 2009 here today, Chang Hong Seong (BN-Teruntum) said the bird nest industry in Malaysia had become competitive with increasing demand annually.

"There were 36,000 swallow houses nationwide in 2006 and over 3,000 were in Pahang. Malaysia is the third world largest exporter of bird nest after Indonesia and Thailand with exports of RM12 billion annually."

Chang said the government should help the entrepreneurs as local authorities were no longer issuing licences for swallow bird nest houses and had to relocate to the outskirt and rural areas.

"The government must prepare suitable sites for the bird nest business as it not only generate income but also add value to properties and create job opportunities."

-- MORE

ASSEMBLY-DEBATE (SWALLOW) 2 (LAST) KUANTAN

The assemblyman said demand for swallow bird nest was expected to increase following food promotion to the United States and other new markets.

"Report by the Wildlife Department that swallows do not carry any diseases means that it has huge income potential and cannot be ignored."

He said with proper planning, the swallow bird nest business could become an important source of income for the country.

The sitting continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA

Note: Swallow stated here mean swiflet or in malay 'walit'

Swiftlet business soaring high in Pahang

2008-12-05T17:09:00.000+08:00

Friday December 5, 2008

Swiftlet business soaring high in Pahang

By ROSLINA MOHAMAD

KUANTAN: A total of 1,489 swiftlet premises have been developed by 1,036 operators in Pahang.

Kuantan topped the list with 700 premises managed by 500 operators followed by Rompin, Pekan, Temerloh, Jerantut, Bera, Bentong and Raub.

State Agriculture, Agro-based Industries and Felda Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Tan Aminuddin Ishak said the high demands for swiftlet nests in the Chinese community made it a lucrative business.

The migration of the birds from caves to towns helped people set up new business ventures, he said.

“The annual trade in Malaysia is estimated to be worth RM500mil. In Pahang alone it is worth RM36mil,” he said here recently.

Tan Aminuddin said the bird’s raw nest could fetch between RM1,000 and RM2,000 per kilogram.

Interest in the industry was so high that commercial buildings and homes had been converted into nesting places, he added.

However, there were certain issues which needed attention, especially the risk of disease, bird droppings, cleanliness of towns, noise pollution, price of property devalued and depreciation in quality of life, Tan Aminuddin said.

In view of this, the Veterinary Services Department was committed in providing training on good animal husbandry practice, he added.

“This practice had been made a requirement under local government by-laws before the issuance of licences.

“The department has organised courses on this practice for operators to enable them to get the permits,” he said.

Tan Aminuddin also said the department would carry out checks from time to time to ensure the premises were free of diseases and did not pose risks to the public and the birds.

“The swiftlet industry has great potential for farmers in the state but there is a need to check its development to avoid conflicts and health risks.

“If properly managed, the industry can contribute to the state’s coffers with farmers earning good incomes,” he added.

Industri Walit Mula Diberi Perhatian Oleh Kerajaan

2008-12-03T11:51:00.002+08:00

Issues Concerning Bird Nest Industry To Be Brought To Cabinet

2008-11-30T12:03:00.000+08:00

November 26, 2008 00:02 AM

Issues Concerning Bird Nest Industry To Be Brought To Cabinet

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Issues relating to the bird nest industry which now has a value exceeding RM1 billion will be brought up to the Cabinet soon, said Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed.

He said among the matters that would be raised was for the industry to come under a specific government agency like the Veterinary Services Department.

"They (industry players) think that the government is not giving enough attention to this industry. It is growing. We are one of the biggest producers of edible bird nest in the world," Mustapa told reporters after opening the Malaysia-Netherlands bilateral talks on agriculture here Tuesday.

Mustapa had been asked about the outcome of his meeting with edible bird nest industry players from throughout the country at his ministry in Putrajaya, last week.

Bernama had highlighted complaints by bird nest entreprenuers in Sarawak who had asked for Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud's help to prevent enforcement officers from demolishing their nests because the premises did not have licences to operate the industry.

Unlike in the peninsula, Sarawak's laws do not permit urban premises to be used to grow birds nest.

-- BERNAMA

Pengusaha Sarang Burung Walit Mukah Dalam Dilema

2008-11-21T16:34:00.001+08:00

Oleh Syed Azwan Syed Ali

MUKAH (SARAWAK), 14 Nov (Bernama) -- Suatu ketika dahulu, Mukah yang terletak kira-kira dua jam setengah perjalanan darat dari Sibu, hanyalah sebuah pekan sepi dengan kegiatan ekonomi yang kurang kompetitif.

Namun segala-galanya berubah sejak penghijrahan secara besar-besaran burung walit dari Indonesia ke Malaysia terutama Sarawak, ekoran fenomena La Nina dan pembakaran hutan di republik itu pada awal 2000.

Nilai hartanah sekitar pekan kecil termasuk di Mukah melambung tinggi dengan kebanyakan tingkat atas rumah kedai dan bangunan komersial dijadikan tempat penternakan burung walit.

"Kalau dulu tingkat atas kedai ni nak jual RM30,000 pun orang tak beli. Tapi sejak burung walit datang sini, jual RM200,000 pun ada yang sanggup bayar," kata John Low, pengusaha sarang burung Walit, kepada Bernama di sini.

Pada 13 Okt 2005, Kerajaan memutuskan untuk membenarkan orang ramai menternak burung walit selain mengiktiraf bidang itu sebagai perusahaan yang berpotensi tinggi untuk menjana ekonomi penduduk setempat.

PENGUMUMAN NAJIB

Perkara itu diumumkan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Majlis Negara mengenai Kerajaan Tempatan kali ke-53 di Putrajaya.

Kecuali Sarawak, negeri-negeri lain mempunyai garis panduan menternak burung walit yang memerlukan lesen daripada pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) untuk menjaga kepentingan orang ramai dan alam sekitar.

Namun perkembangan terkini di Mukah pada 14 Okt lepas, melibatkan pegawai dan ranger Jabatan Hutan Sarawak bertindak merobohkan dua premis pengusaha sarang burung walit di Medan Setiaraya dan New Township Mukah, menimbulkan dilema kepada pengusaha sarang burung walit di sini.

Pengerusi Pengusaha Sarang Burung Walit Mukah, Philip Tiong mendakwa ranger terbabit meroboh dan mengambil sarang burung malah membunuh anak-anak burung walit di premis itu, walaupun burung walit adalah spesies yang dilindungi.

"Kami cuma mahu kerajaan negeri mempertimbangkan untuk memberi kami lesen dan garis panduan untuk kami ikut dan patuh," katanya yang turut meminta campurtangan Ketua Menteri Sarawak dalam perkara ini.

HILANG MATA PENCARIAN

Philip berkata, jika kerajaan negeri tetap dengan pendirian mengharamkan penternakan burung walit di kawasan pekan dan bandar, ramai pengusaha sarang burung walit termasuk 150 ahli persatuan itu akan kerugian dan hilang mata pencarian.

Menteri Muda Perancangan dan Pengurusan Sumber, Mohd Naroden Majais sebelum ini dilaporkan berkata, penternakan burung walit adalah tertakluk kepada Ordinan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar 1998, Peraturan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar, (Sarang Burung Boleh Dimakan) 1998 dan Peraturan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar 1998.

Kloni dua spesies burung walit (hitam dan putih) yang boleh, tinggal atau bersarang di kawasan habitat aslinya seperti gua tetapi tidak dibenarkan di kawasan tanah bandar dan kawasan pinggir bandar.

Bagaimanapun, tinjauan Bernama di sekitar pekan Mukah mendapati tidak ada perbezaan pada luaran bangunan rumah kedai yang telah diubahsuai menjadi tempat penternakan burung walit dengan bangunan biasa.

Kawasan terbabit juga bersih dan tidak bising, malah seseorang tidak akan dapat membezakan rumah kedai yang telah diubahsuai bagi tujuan itu kecuali pada waktu Maghrib (sekitar 7 petang) di mana beribu-ribu burung walit terbang dan masuk ke rumah kedai terbabit.

BERSIH DAN TERURUS

Malah penulis yang diberi peluang masuk mendapati premis yang dipenuhi dengan beribu burung walit itu bersih dan terurus dengan sistem pengudaraan yang baik.

"Semua ini kerana kami ikut garis panduan disediakan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Haiwan," kata Philip merujuk kepada Amalan Baik Penternakan Haiwan Untuk Burung Walit (GAHP) JPH.

Sijil GAHP adalah sebahagian daripada keperluan untuk mendapatkan lesen penternakan burung walit di Sarawak selain kelulusan daripada Jabatan Perhilitan, Pejabat Tanah dan Majlis Perbandaran terbabit.

Sumber industri memberitahu bahawa kod amalan itu juga memastikan penternakan burung walit adalah terkawal selain mencegah sebarang epidemik seperti selesema burung.

Pada 11 Julai lepas, Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan berkata penternakan burung walit dibenarkan di lot komersial atau rumah kedai tetapi tidak di kawasan perumahan.

LEBIH 100 TAHUN

Perdagangan sarang burung di negara ini bermula sejak 100 tahun dengan penuaian pertama dilakukan di Gua Niah, Sarawak, pada 1878.

Indonesia adalah negara pertama yang mengusahakan perdagangan sarang burung secara komersial ekoran potensi tinggi komoditi itu.

Dianggarkan terdapat lebih 10,000 premis burung walit di seluruh negara dengan lebih 12 tan sarang burung dihasilkan dalam sebulan.

Dengan mengambil RM4,000 sekilogram sebagai purata harga sarang burung yang belum diproses, ini bermakna industri itu mampu menjana sehingga RM48 juta sebulan.

"Itu harga sarang burung yang belum diproses tetapi nilainya akan bertambah 10 kali ganda selepas diproses mengikut gred untuk dieksport," kata sumber industri yang enggan dikenali.

BANDAR BESAR

Bernama difahamkan penternakan burung walit di Sarawak tidak hanya tertumpu di Mukah, sebaliknya diusahakan secara meluas di bandar-bandar besar seperti Kuching, Bintulu, Sarikei dan Sibu.

"Burung walit bukan hanya beri rezeki kepada orang bandar, orang kampung yang menyewakan tanah mereka kepada pengusaha sarang burung juga boleh dapat sehingga RM700 sebulan," kata seorang penjaga burung, yang hanya ingin dikenali sebagai Fadhil, dengan merujuk kepada tapak premis burung seluas 5.66 meter lebar dan 8.49 meter panjang.

Bagi kakitangan kerajaan, Khalil Ali, yang baru melaburkan RM30,000 bagi membina premis burung walit di atas tanah keluarganya di Kampung Oyak, Mukah, kerajaan negeri perlu mencari jalan penyelesaian terbaik dalam perkara ini.

Walaupun kerajaan negeri bercadang membina lima buah eko-park untuk burung walit dengan dua daripadanya di Daro dan Mukah, isu penternakan burung walit di Sarawak perlu dilihat secara objektif.

Ini kerana kerajaan negeri perlu mempertimbangkan bagaimana untuk memindahkan burung itu ke premis baru tanpa merobohkan lebih 1,500 premis sedia ada atau membunuh puluhan ribu burung walit yang dilindungi itu.

"Apa yang kami mahu agar rumah kedai kami dibenarkan di sisi undang-undang. Biar kami dapat hak sama dengan pengusaha sarang burung walit di Semenanjung," kata John.

Sehingga laporan ini ditulis, hanya dua lesen premis burung walit dikeluarkan pihak berwajib di Sarawak. Namun penjaga burung keturunan Melanau, Burkan Aje Mohamed Roslan seolah-olah menyimpulkan rintihan seluruh pengusaha burung walit dengan berkata; "Kamik sayang burung walit. Kalau nak diroboh juga alamat satu Sarawak akan lupus".

-- BERNAMA

PROJEK CACING

2008-11-20T16:52:00.005+08:00

Lagi Projek Terbaru Pushpiam...

Projek Terbaru Pushpiam - POKOK JUTAWAN

2008-11-11T22:27:00.003+08:00

HARGA SATU/SEPOKOK BENIH DEPU = RM 5

BAGI 1 EKAR TANAH = 1000 BENIH DEPU = RM 1JUTA(DLM 7 THN)

2008-11-10T13:48:00.002+08:00

Note: Lawatan Ke Tapak Projek Bersama En. Shamsul (salah seorang ahli yang mengikuti program usahasama @pemilik rumah walit)

Lawatan Tapak Projek 07/11/08

2008-11-09T20:29:00.003+08:00

NOTE: Bagi tapak projek Kg. Badlishah dalam 15-20% untuk siap.

Model Rumah Burung & Sample Kayu n Batu

2008-11-09T19:58:00.000+08:00

Industri burung layang-layang di Kelantan sumbang RM1.5 juta setahun

2008-10-29T19:31:00.002+08:00

KOTA BHARU, 2 Ogos (Hrkh) - Kerajaan Kelantan dijangka dapat memunggut hasil sebanyak RM1.5 juta daripada produk burung layang-layang yang kini diternak secara meluas di Kelantan.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pentadbiran Awam, Perancangan Ekonomi, Kewangan dan Kebajikan Masyarakat, Dato' Husam Musa berkata, pendapatan itu bakal diperolehi daripada bayaran deposit dan lesen menternak burung.

"Sehingga kini terdapat lebih 200 pengusaha di seluruh Kelantan," katanya selepas menerima memorandum daripada Persatuan Pengusaha Industri Sarang Burung Layang-layang Kelantan, di sini hari ini.

Memorandum berkenaan diserah pengerusinya, Tan Choon Hwa.

Husam berkata, kutipan hasil dijangka bertambah pada masa akan datang berikutan bilangan pengusaha yang semakin meningkat.

Beliau juga memberi jaminan akan mengentengahkan rayuan persatuan berkenaan berhubung kadar lesen tahunan yang dicadang mereka diselaras kepada RM500 setiap rumah burung tanpa mengira keluasan atau jumlah tingkat.

Menurutnya pengusaha burung tersebut mendapat keuntungan lumayan memandangkan mereka tidak perlu menyediakan keperluan makanan kepada burung yang singgah di rumah disediakan.

"Pengusaha hanya perlu menyediakan rumah sahaja, jadi sudah tentu kos yang dikeluarkan tidak besar," ujarnya.

Sebelum ini pengusaha dikenakan bayaran sebanyak RM1,000 setiap tahun bagi saiz rumah burung seluas 1,000 kaki.

Bagaimanapun memorandum daripada pengusaha tersebut mahu kerajaan negeri mengurangkan bayaran kepada RM500 setahun.

Husam turut mencadangkan pengusaha mempelbagai produk termasuk memasak terlebih dahulu produk yang dihasilkan bagi membolehkan ia dieksport ke luar negara antaranya China, Thailand, Hong Kong dan Jepun.

Tan Chon Hwa merakam ucapan terima kasih kepada kerajaan negeri kerana begitu prihatin terhadap masalah dihadapi pengusaha industri terbabit termasuk mengeluarkan lesen kepada mereka.

Katanya, dengan adanya lesen pengusaha burung layang-layang dapat menjalankan perniagaan secara sah.

Bagaimanapun mesyuarat kami di Kota Bharu semalam telah menerima pandangan dan rayuan daripada ahli terhadap jumlah bayaran lesen yang telah diumumkan kerajaan baru-baru ini.

"Untuk itu kami di sini ingin merayu agar kerajaan negeri mempertimbangkan iaitu kadar lesen tahunan diselaraskan kepada RM500 setiap rumah burung tanpa berpandukan keluasan atau jumlah tingkat," ujarnya.

Sementara itu, Husam juga berkata, rakyat Kelantan digalak memproses pokok depu sebagai produk seperti kayu gaharu memandangkan ia banyak didapati di kawasan pertanian atau dusun.

Katanya, sebelum ini hanya pokok gaharu sahaja yang boleh digunakan untuk membuat wangian, bagaimanapun hasil teknologi sekarang pokok depu juga boleh mengeluarkan haruman seperti gaharu.

Sebagaimana yang kita tahu, pokok ini begitu mahal di pasaran antarabangsa dan dengan perkembangan ini ia merupakan berita gembira buat penduduk di kampung.

"Mereka boleh mencari rezeki bukan sahaja menerusi industri burung layang-layang, sebaliknya mencari pokok depu untuk dijadikan bahan pewangi," ujarnya.

2008-06-12T13:16:00.000+08:00

Swiftlet Farming is a Right Investment

Swiftlet farming in Indonesia is a multi-million dollar industry. They supply 80% of the edible bird nest market, most buyers are from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Every year the demand is increasing and the supply of Nest couldn't meet the demand. This pushed up the price of edible bird nest .

Indonesia has invested millions of dollar in this industry knowing that it will yield profit. As I had mentioned earlier their history of Swiftlet farming started as early as the beginning of 19th century. So if you are going to invest Rm 100k its very small compared to these giants, in other words you are very safe knowing that if this business collapsed there are many more people would loose many times more than you. Look at the picture below.

If this business is not lucrative do you think they would invest in such manner. It is like a fortress mega huge. Some are the size of Mid Valley Mega Mall in K.L.

In fact Malaysia has better advantages as we have less Sriti (collocalia) and our condition here produces better quality nest. Malaysia is well known for it nest quality internationally especially nests from places like Taiping, Trengganu and Kuantan. So for those who are from these places they should take advantage of this valuble natural resouce.

credit to james

2008-06-05T16:37:00.002+08:00

KERATAN AKHBAR YANG MENYAJIKAN BETAPA RAHSIA DAN BERNILAINYA INDUSTRI INI YANG KINI SEDIKIT DEMI SEDIKIT CUBA DITEROKAI / DIPELOPORI OLEH ORANG MELAYU

PASTIKAN ANDA JUGA TERGOLONG DALAM ANTARA YANG CUBA MENCEBURI INDUSTRI YANG MENYAJIKAN PULANGAN JUTAAN RINGGIT INI..AYUH KITA BANGKIT!!!!

rumah burung

2008-05-15T15:09:00.001+08:00

2008-05-14T12:38:00.001+08:00

Economically sound, environmentally friendly
Melvin Goh
Sarawak Tribune, 14 July 2003

Economically sound, environmentally friendly. Lending a hand in boosting swiftlets population can be rewarding for all parties concerned, writes Melvin Goh

Over the years, we have almost become accustomed to news and reports of the alarming decline of the swiftlets populations in Sarawak, especially at Niah, one of the most famous areas for birds nest productions since the Brooke era.

While many attempts to halt the tide of this decline were implemented and tried, non proved successful, at least until quite recently.

This came about after much pain staking research was done by Dr Lim Chan Koon who advocated a new plan to reverse the trend and revive the industry which was almost on the verge of collapsing in the early eighties.

There are two main types of swiftlets which produce the edible birds nests here, namely the Black-nest (Aerodramus maximus) and White-nest (Aerodramus fuciphagus), names given to distinguish the difference between the two species,explains Lim.

The White-nests are more valuable but the Black-nest swiftlets are more widespread and numerous in Sarawak; most of the birds nests exported are the Black-nest variety.

My first study of swiftlets was at the Baram area in 1996 which showed that White-nest swiftlets adopted a multi-brood reproductive strategy, meaning that the birds will try to breed and raise youngs as many times as possible during the long and favourable breeding season.

Based on that understanding, we were able to devise a sustainable management plan for the White-nest colony there which calls for a voluntary ban on nests collection for one complete circle of reproduction for the birds.

The initial reluctance of the cave owners to accept the idea quickly changed after four years when the production jumped by 30%!, smiled Lim who is currently the Community Adviser for the DANCED/SWMPI project launched by the Sarawak Forest Department.

Considering that a kilo of birds' nest now is worth a staggering RM1000-RM15000 (depending on the quality) a 30% increase in the harvest can bring quite a substantial return.

Since then, the same management plan has been adopted for use at Niah National Park where the Cave Manager cum Trader Concept (CMT) is implemented after the success of the same plan at Bukit Sarang, Tatau in the Bintulu Division.

While it is still a bit too early to determine the results from Niah, the outcome from Bukit Sarang is already conclusive.

We started out in 2000 but the cave owners had implemented the voluntary ban on collection in 1999, Lim begins. In practical terms, the complete cycle of four years for the swiftlets to replace the entire population was achieved in 2003 (given that a whole generation was allowed to breed each year for a period of four months without any collection of the nests) here, he adds.

The population size in 2000 was estimated to be 4264 which increased to 4453 by 2001 (a 4% increase), achieving further growth to 4678 (10% increase) in 2002 and has been recorded as over 5000 in 2003 (17% increase).

The results are encouraging for us as the same species (Black-nest swiftlets) predominate at the Niah area. This also proves that the same management strategy can be used for the Black-nests and we are quietly confident of the outcome next year, enthuses Lim.

In a similar study of a smaller cave owned by a Punan licensee, we were able to record similar results after the introduction of the voluntary ban on harvesting for one generation.

Initial findings showed that there was no breeding of the swiftlets in 1999 as monthly harvests of nests were conducted and not too surprisingly, the bird nests population dropped from 220 to 200 in 2000.

For 2000, the cave was left alone with no collection the entire year which meant that three complete breeding cycles were achieved.

Upon inspection in 2001, it was found that there was a 10% increase in the number of nests (240) and this figure further jumped to 330 in 2002, a whopping 50% increase!, Lim reveals.

He acknowledges that this particular cave was a little different as it was owned by an individual and hence easier to control access and monitor the situation and there is no reason to suspect why similar practices in other areas cannot achieve the same results.

From established records, the swiftlet population of Niah has declined from a high of 1,700,000 in 1935 to less than 65,000 by 2002, almost a 96% decrease, despite the intervention of the government in 1989 to completely halt all nests collection which lasted until 1996.

Realising the failure of the plan with the ban on collection, the government reverted the management of the nest-yielding caves back to the licensees which did not bring about any success either for the bird population continued to experience a decline.

In 2001, the Niah National Park Special Park Committee (SPC) was formed which was to play an advisory role in the management of Niah by disseminating knowledge and information regarding the parks management as well as building better understanding and rapport among the various shareholders of the park.

The Cave Manager cum Trader Concept (CMT) is a multi-pronged approach, taking into consideration the customary rights and welfare of the licensees, cooperation and support from the bird nest traders as well as the setting up of an independent watchdog body to monitor, counter-check and balance the licensee-traders relationship for the sustainable use and conservation of the swiftlet population at Niah, explains Dr Lim.

The cave managers are paid a salary and profit from the harvest but have to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring sustainable exploitation and long-term survival the swiftlet.

They also ensure that policies and recommendations of the Forest Department are implemented on the ground and to settle potential disputes that may arise,Ó he explains further on the CMT.

From our recent observations, there is optimism that the population of the swiftlet population at Niah will be on the upswing by next year when the cycle is complete.

This will be good for all parties concerned as everyone benefits and the bird population will continue to prosper there, he says.

As for the population of the swiftlet to reach the same density as in the early century, that is almost impossible as so much has changed over the years, he said clearly.

The environment will play a significant role in determining the actual number of bird that can be sustained as the carrying capacity has a limit, Dr Lim stresses.

Presently we are still not certain of their foraging range and where they go but certainly the changing landscape will have an impact on their figures.

That is why the proposal to establish parks and nature reserves should be fully supported as only by preserving these natural areas can we ensure that wildlife will continue to flourish in their natural environment.

Industri Jutaan Ringgit - Projek Sarang Burung

Salam Aidil Adha

Cara Penyertaan & Jadual Jangkaan Kasar

PROJEK PERKONGSIAN AMAL

Successfull Renovate @ Revamp Bird House at Sabah

No doubt forest encroached

Bird's nest boom has Malaysian producers drooling

Transparency for proposed swiftlet bill, please!

Transparency for proposed swiftlet bill, please!

Sarang Burung Walit Malaysia Selamat Untuk Eksport

VSD to conduct spot checks on bird's nest factories

Vietnam's edible bird's nest industry shows swift growth as demand soars

Bird's nest tracking system to prevent fakes in M'sian market

No China ban on bird’s nest

Wednesday August 10, 2011

China Has Not Banned Malaysian Bird's Nests

Lull in lucrative industry expected as price of bird’s nest drops after ban by China

Tuesday August 9, 2011

Lull in lucrative industry expected as price of bird’s nest drops after ban by China

By JACK WONG jackwong@thestar.com.my

Share Partner

Bird's nest ban 'will hurt exporters in long run'

Group: Getting zero nitrite level in bird’s nest impossible

Group: Getting zero nitrite level in bird’s nest impossible

By WINNIE YEOHwinnie@thestar.com.my

Kalimantan Enjoys an Edible Housing Boom

Housing Boom, if You’re a Bird

Housing Boom, if You’re a Bird

By JEFFERY DelVISCIO

Published: July 13, 2011

Sarawak's Bird Nest Industry Still In Dilemma

Tourists caught unaware about new ruling on birds' nest

Birds' nest industry reaping profits in Malaysia

By George Francis

Bird Nest Entrepreneurs Want Taib To Intervene

Rumah Walit Ahli PUSHPIAM

Site Visit - 28122008

Rising investments in swiftlet farming boost Malaysia’s bird nest exports

Saturday December 13, 2008

Stories By ERROL OH

SWALLOW BIRD NEST INDUSTRY HAS HUGE POTENTIAL

Swiftlet business soaring high in Pahang

Friday December 5, 2008

Swiftlet business soaring high in Pahang

By ROSLINA MOHAMAD

Industri Walit Mula Diberi Perhatian Oleh Kerajaan

Issues Concerning Bird Nest Industry To Be Brought To Cabinet

Pengusaha Sarang Burung Walit Mukah Dalam Dilema

PROJEK CACING

Projek Terbaru Pushpiam - POKOK JUTAWAN

Lawatan Tapak Projek 07/11/08

Model Rumah Burung & Sample Kayu n Batu

Industri burung layang-layang di Kelantan sumbang RM1.5 juta setahun

Swiftlet Farming is a Right Investment

rumah burung

By JACK WONG
jackwong@thestar.com.my

By WINNIE YEOH
winnie@thestar.com.my