KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will sign a draft protocol with China to resume bird's nest export to China which was halted last year over a safety concern.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar was quoted by state news agency Bernama as saying on Sunday that both countries will sign the protocol as they have agreed on three key conditions in the latest negotiation.
Malaysian bird's nest exporters are required to get certifications from the Health Ministry and the Veterinary Department and an identification from the Multimedia Commission that traces the origin of the bird's nests through radio frequency to ensure that the edible bird's nests are authentic and safe for consumption.
The ministry could not confirm when the draft protocol would be signed.
Edible bird's nests, made of the secretion from the salivary glands of swiftlets, has been used traditionally in Chinese cooking for centuries.
China banned bird's nests imports from Malaysia  one of the world's largest bird's nests producers, after it found last July excessive nitrite in counterfeit blood nests, a rare kind of bird' s nests.
Noh said the ban caused Malaysia's bird's nest market price to plunge sharply.
Many traders also had difficulties servicing their bank loans, he added.

SUMBER

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will sign a draft protocol with China to resume bird's nest export to China which was halted last year over a safety concern.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar was quoted by state news agency Bernama as saying on Sunday that both countries will sign the protocol as they have agreed on three key conditions in the latest negotiation.
Malaysian bird's nest exporters are required to get certifications from the Health Ministry and the Veterinary Department and an identification from the Multimedia Commission that traces the origin of the bird's nests through radio frequency to ensure that the edible bird's nests are authentic and safe for consumption.
The ministry could not confirm when the draft protocol would be signed.
Edible bird's nests, made of the secretion from the salivary glands of swiftlets, has been used traditionally in Chinese cooking for centuries.
China banned bird's nests imports from Malaysia  one of the world's largest bird's nests producers, after it found last July excessive nitrite in counterfeit blood nests, a rare kind of bird' s nests.
Noh said the ban caused Malaysia's bird's nest market price to plunge sharply.
Many traders also had difficulties servicing their bank loans, he added.

SUMBER

Posted on April 9, 2012, Monday
MUAR: Malaysia will sign the draft protocol on bird nest entry into China soon to resume export of the luxury item to the country which has been halted several months ago.
The Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Datuk Seri Noh Omar said the three main conditions for the resumption of bird nest export to China had been agreed upon in the latest negotiation between the two countries.
He said among the conditions were that Malaysian bird nest exporters must have the Radio Frequency Identification certificate issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to detect the locations of problematic bird nest using radio wave frequency.
Two more conditions, he said were the Veterinary Department’s certificate of health and the Ministry of Health’s health certificate.
“The measures are to ensure bird nest products for export to China are not only from healthy birds but the product is also safe for consumption,” he said when opening the Bakri Parliamentary Constituency Farmers’ Organisation annual general meeting at Maktab Rendah Sains MARA, Bakri, Muar here on Saturday.
He said the halt to the entry of Malaysian bird nest into China resulted in many operators facing problems.
“The market price of bird nest plunged from RM4,000 and   RM5,000 to only RM1,500 per kilogramme. Many faced problems in servicing their bank loans,” he said.
Elaborating further on the new conditions, Noh Omar said only products which met the conditions would be permitted to use the ‘Malaysia Best ‘ logo if they were to be exported.
He said the logo was also to prevent Malaysia from becoming a transit for bird nest from other countries banned from entering the market in China. — Bernama

GOOD NEWS: Nitrate content must not exceed 30 parts per million

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak making a courtesy call on Guangxi province party secretary Guo Shengkun (right) in Nanning yesterday. Bernama pic

1 / 1

CHINA is prepared to lift the ban on the export of Malaysia's birds nest, provided its nitrate content does not exceed 30 parts per million (PPM).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the good news was conveyed to him by his Chinese counterpart, Wen Jiabao, during their bilateral meeting here.
"The nitrate level in bird's nest from Malaysia is not acceptable to China," Najib said before returning to Kuala Lumpur after a one-day working visit here.
He said the requirement imposed by the Chinese government would be conveyed to bird's nest operators in Malaysia.
In the meeting with Wen, Najib conveyed AirAsia's plan to introduce a flight to Nanning to boost trade and improve people-to-people ties between the countries.
The Chinese government supports the plan and will help AirAsia on the commencement of flights.
The two leaders agreed on the need to intensify programmes involving youth in Malaysia and China.
Najib said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek would lead a delegation of 150 youth leaders from Malaysia to visit China this month.
Najib, who arrived here at 1am yesterday with his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, had a packed itinerary during his visit.
He began the day by receiving a courtesy call by Guangxi province party secretary Guo Shengkun and Governor Ma Biao at the Marriott Hotel.
This was followed with the meeting with Wen at the Li Yuan Resort, where they discussed matters of mutual interest as well as regional and global issues. It was the third meeting between the two leaders over the last 12 months since Wen's visit to Kuala Lumpur in April last year. They met again in the southern capital of Guangzi province five months ago during the China-Asean Exhibition.
Their meeting was cordial, reflecting the commitment by both leaders to boost economic cooperation between both countries.
Present at the meeting were International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and special envoy to China Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting.
After the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of agreement for the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park project between Qinzhou Development (Malaysia) Consortium Sdn Bhd and China's Qinzhou Jingu Investment Co Ltd.

SUMBER

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

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.
Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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