Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Licensing issues retarding RM1 bln swiftlet nest industry

KUALA LUMPUR: The edible swiftlet nest industry in this country is a highly lucrative one with the annual turnover reaching RM1 billion.But a critical issue pertaining to the licensing of the swiftlet farms within buildings located in towns may retard the industry if no solution is found.

Local authorities are against the idea of having swiftlet farms in towns as they can cause nuisance to the public and pollute the environment. But places like Sarawak, though the swiftlet farms are forbidden in towns, still has to find a solution for more than 1,500 illegal swiftlet farms.
But any attempt to eradicate the illegal swiftlet farms will bring negative impact to the industry.
So what is the best option in solving this problem to ensure that the effort to boost the industry is not derailed?

The licensing issue cropped up in October last year after the authorities conducted an exercise to clear up illegal swiftlet farms in Mukah town. The move by the authorities has put many swiftlet farm owners in a quandary and raised many questions on the way the exercise was carried out.

During the exercise the swiftlet chicks protected under the Wildlife Act 1972 were left to die in the nests that were confiscated by the authorities. Those annoyed with the move even posted the video on the chicks’ fate on youtube.

The action taken by the local authorities has certainly ruffled some feathers, especially the swiftlet farmers. Thus the Swiftlet Merchant Association in Mukah requested Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to help find a solution.

The same request from the counterparts in Sibu and Sarikei followed suit. The bottom line is that the farm owners wanted to continue operations in the existing premises with most of them being shoptlots. But the local authorities are steadfast with their stand. There has to be some control Despite the edible swiftlet nest’s huge commercial potential, Sarawak’s 1998 Wildlife Protection Ordinance prohibits the species from being bred in other than its natural habitat like the caves. And this has made things difficult for the industry.

The director of Sarawak’s Forestry Department who is also the Wildlife Controller for Sarawak Datuk Len Talif Salleh stressed that the state government wanted the industry to be developed in a controlled manner in accordance with the existing laws. Len Talif pointed out about 100 licences have been approved from the 600 to 700 applications received since May.

“Most of the licences approved are for the ‘old-players’ who conform to the prerequisites,” said Len Talif when contacted by Bernama in Kuching. “The rest were rejected as their proposed swiftlet farms are in towns,” he said adding that enforcement measures will be taken against illegal swiftlet farms.

The licences were issued for swiftlet farming in Mukah, Bintulu, Kuching, Kota Samarahan and Sarikei with all of the swiftlet farms in agricultural areas. Positive development Nonetheless, the industry views the issuance of the licence as a positive development when looking at the situation prior to May this year where only two of the more than 1,500 swiftlet farms in the state were licensed.

Swiftlet farming also needs approval from agencies like the Land and Survey Department, the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) and the local authorities. And the good news is that the state government is to build three swiftlet eco-parks in Mukah, Sarikei and Bintulu respectively with lots to be sold and rented out to those who are keen.

However, many are sceptical that the birds will nest at the eco-park and feared the bureaucratic hassle. Exemptions in towns? Thus this scepticism has prompted a big number of swiftlet farm owners to seek exemptions and continue with their activities in the existing premises in towns.
The swiftlet nest entrepreneurs also hope to adopt guidelines like the Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) for the swiftlets, so that they will be allowed to ply their trade within towns as done by their counterparts in Peninsula.

“We will follow this guideline,” noted the protem chairman for the Sarikei Swiftlet Nest Merchants’ Association Wong Hua Ting, which is in opposition to the state government’s stand that the swiflet farming should only be carried out at agricultural areas or the proposed eco-park.
Swiftlet farming in populated areas could create pandemonium among the public especially when there are diseases involving this species of bird. The Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has conducted more than 5,000 tests on the birds and have confirmed that the swiflet are free from bird flu and Newcastle disease.
Premises must be registered with JPV (Jabatan Perkhidmatan Veterinar) The DVS is also preparing the guidelines on swiftlet farming and the draft proposals will be forwarded to the Steering Committee for the National Swiftlet Industry on Dec 14. The guideline known as “1GP” makes it compulsory for swiftlet breeding premises to be registered with DVS.

However before the guideline could be adopted by the local authorities, it would be brought to the attention of the National Council on Local Government chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, which is expected to meet March next year. “The guideline will set the standard for all local governments. It will help traders and swiftlet farm owners to venture into this field in a more organised manner,” said the chairman of the Federation of Swiftlet Nest Merchants’ Associations Datuk Beh Heng Seong. No more confiscation of nests

Regarding the guideline, Len Talif noted that the Sarawak state government is ready to adopt the guideline as long as it does not contradict with the state ordinance which would be continuously enforced. He also gave assurance that in future the nests would not be confiscated and instead a compound will be issued and only the equipment used will be confiscated.
This development is seen as a positive indication pertaining to enforcement but this does not mean it has opened the doors for all to start swiftlet farms without authorisation.

The government wants to see 100,000 swiftlet farms producing 500 tonnes of the bird’s nest annually worth RM5 billion by 2020. The swiftlet nest from this country is of high quality and is highly sought after in China and Arab with the prices fetching up to RM10,000 per kilogram.
Thus the solution for this licensing issue is highly pertinent and all parties involved should work hand in hand to ensure that the edible bird nest industry remains vibrant and the nation stands at par with Indonesia and Thailand, the leading producers. — Bernama

Friday, December 11, 2009

Tap swiftlets potential

2009/12/04 http://www.nst.com.my/articles/23sati/Article/index_html

A STATE assemblyman yesterday proposed a novel way to help sundry shop operators adversely affected by the influx of hypermarkets. In debating the state 2010 Budget, Tee Siew Kiong (BN-Pulai Sebatang) said the government could kill two birds with one stone by allowing those affected to turn their premises into swiftlet hotels for bird nest farming.

He made the suggestion following the closure of many sundry shops which had failed to compete with hypermarkets, whose number was mushrooming in the state."Sundry shop operators stand to lose when pitched against hypermarkets as the latter have the capital to buy stocks in bulk and resell them at a much lower price than sundry shops," he said.By allowing and assisting the operators to turn their premises into swiftlet hotels, Tee said this would allow them to continue to earn a decent living."Bird's nest has a huge and lucrative market in China, Hong Kong and other international places, so I urge the government to give it special attention and tap its potential," he said.

Tee said he was thankful to the state government for bringing the matter to the Federal Government's attention.However, he said there was a need to have guidelines to govern swiftlet hotels which have become the subject of criticism by some residents because of noise pollution and hygiene problems.He said banks had also become aware of the potential of the industry and had started to finance such ventures."It could be very beneficial to the state economy as Malaysia exported RM1 billion worth of bird's nest last year, which was equivalent to five per cent of the world market for the product," he said.Tee also urged the government to simplify bird's nest exports and swiftlet hotel licensing so that the industry could grow even faster in the state.

Swift exodus to Indonesia

By Anthony Joseph http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=63954
Red tape blamed for estimated RM10 mln invested on swiftlets in Pontianak by local entrepreneurs

MIRI: Red tape in obtaining licence to rear swiftlets in the state is forcing operators to invest in Pontianak, Indonesia.“Their investments are now worth around RM10 million in Indonesia,” advisor to Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development Unit in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Adzmy Abdullah revealed yesterday. According to Adzmy, although Sarawak is the main producer of edible bird nest, the production is still very much behind those of Perak and Selangor.

“To date, the state has around 1,500 breeders or operators but they are not operating at home because of difficulties in obtaining the licence. Circumstances are forcing them to invest in Indonesia instead where procedures are relatively easier to fulfil,” Azmy said. “In this context, we urge the government, particularly Forestry Department, to reduce the redtape as incentive to encourage more locals to go into the industry here on home soil, thereby increasing the local production,” he added.

According to him, most of the breeders in the state are in Samarahan, Mukah, Sarikei and Miri.
On other development, Azdmy said the government had come up with guidelines to facilitate and encourage local participation in the industry. “There are big potentials in the industry because of their medicinal value especially in Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Asia Pacific. Middle East are now showing interest,” he added. According to Azmy, export value up to 2007 is around 150 metric tonnes, which is worth around RM750 million , while current market price is around RM3,500 to RM4,500 – depending on their grade.

The main producing countries are Indonesia (80 per cent) followed by Thailand and Malaysia.