吕 保 材 B N: MediaCorp Channel 8 - Edible Bird's Nest (燕窝)

吕 保 材 B N: MediaCorp Channel 8 - Edible Bird's Nest (燕窝)

Bird's nests ban lifted with condition

Personally, I think the industry had learned a lot from this audit. The next 2nd audit would be easier, because we know what kind of standard China want an EBN processing plant would be. Listed below are the findings and my recommendation.

1. Plant must must be constructed according to GMP

2. Full understanding of HACCP & implementation

3. Good traceability system in place

4. Effective ways to eliminate nitrite during processing.

5. Well prepared for the audit & good documentation system.

Here is the report from News Straight Times on  nine EBN plant passed the audit by China recently.

PUTRAJAYA: The temporary ban on Malaysian bird's nests has been lifted by China, but with conditions.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the resumption of the export came after nine companies had been given the "passed with condition" status.

He added that two other companies were granted the "only passed after modification" status and four companies failed the audit that was conducted by China.

The nine companies are Sunshine Region Sdn Bhd; PT Swiftlet Marketing Sdn Bhd; Tian Ma Bird Nest Sdn Bhd; Kuan Wellness Sdn Bhd; Wing Shen Food Industries Sdn Bhd; Fucifagus Agritech Sdn Bhd; Yan Ming Resources Sdn Bhd; Golden Mah Bird's Nest Sdn Bhd; and Yen Pao Lai (M) Sdn Bhd.

The two other companies are Multiform Food Supply Co. Sdn Bhd; and Biogrow Resources Sdn Bhd, and the remaining four that failed the audit were Dama Jing Yi Yanwo Sdn Bhd; Amity AKF Enterprise Sdn Bhd; Sai Kim Enterprise Sdn Bhd; and Swallow House Enterprise.

"The condition given in the efforts to restore the exportation of bird's nests to the country is a compulsory registration with the China National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA)," Ismail Sabri said yesterday.

The temporary ban on local bird's nests exported to China was placed in July 2011, after having found that the quality of the bird's nests imported to the republic did not comply with the permissible nitrite level.

The red coloured nest or cave nest was found to contain more than 1,000 parts per million (ppm) level of nitrite which was unsafe for human consumption.

He said for the first batch, 20 processing plants had submitted their applications and with the filtering done by the Veterinary Services Department, 15 applications were sent to China on March 6, this year.

Following the submission to CNCA, Ismail Sabri said an audit team comprising of six auditors from the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) came to Malaysia on April 9 and conducted a 10-day audit on the 15 processing plants.

"On Tuesday, a report from the AQSIQ authorities outlined the results from the audit process and the nine companies (passed but with conditions) had to further improve their plants and the approval of the rectification conducted by the companies was done by the ministry and sent to China."

As for the two other companies with the "only passed after modification" certification, he said the companies must take corrective actions before they are re-audited.

"A report on the improvements that have been done will be presented to China and another round of auditing will be conducted before approval status is given to them."

Read more: Bird's nests ban lifted with condition - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/bird-s-nests-ban-lifted-with-condition-1.304512?localLinksEnabled=false#ixzz2WqV3L0Rr

Result from CNCA auditors

Finally the result of the CNCA audit had came out. Nine approved with corrective action request ( CAR) which the establishment may need to rectify it and DVS will send the report back to China. Congratulations!

Pengekspotan Sarang burung walit ke China

Baru baru ini saya diberitahu oleh seorang pengusaha loji pemprosesan bahawa harga sarang burung agak meningkat mungkin disebabkan bertambahnya  permintaan dari China. Saya rasa permintaan yang meningkat ini adalah berikutan pengautin 15 loji di Malaysia pada hujung bulan Mei yang lepas oleh CNCA menyebabkan adanya kepercayaan terhadap kualiti dan keselamatan hasil sarang burung walit dari Malaysia.

Walau pun setakat ini belum ada surat maklumbalas rasmi dari pihak CNCA, Saya yakin sekiranya ada loji yang lulus pemeriksaan audit tersebut maka secara automatik harga pasaran sarang burung akan meningkat secara beransur-ansur.

Loji-loji lain yang belum membuat permohonan secara rasmi digalak untuk memohon dan melengkapkan borang permohonan dari CNCA melalui DVS. Pihak CNCA akan membuat audit dolumentasi terlebih dahulu sebelum membuat audit loji. Proses ini mengambil masa yang agak panjang.

Difahamkan bahawa auditing fasa ke-2 akan dilakukan oleh CNCA keatas permohonan baru sekiranya memenuhi keperluan asas dokumentasi yang dihantar ke China. Pihak DVS akan menyemak borang permohonan dan dokumen yang dihantar untuk memastikan ianya lengkap sebelum ianya dihantar ke CNCA. 

Walaupun ada sekatan produk sarang burung walit masih dibawa masuk ke negara Cina dan ini telah  membantu mengurangkan stok yang sedia ada. 

Sementara menunggu kebenaran secara rasmi, Pasaran ke negara lain perlu di cari. 

Produk produk hasilan sarang burung perlu juga dipergiatkan untuk pasaran tempatan dan export. Usaha untuk memperkenalkan sup sarang burung di restoran tempatan perlu digiatkan.

Saya amat yakin bahawa industri ini mempunyai masa depan yang amat cerah dan keuntungan yang berterusan dalam jangka masa panjang kerana burung walit tetap membiak dan secara terus menerus menghasilkan sarang burung tanpa henti sepanjang hayat.

Edible Birds’ Nest Production In Sarawak

We had written at some length during previous posting of this topic on Sarawak edible birds’ nest industry and the current ban by China on the importation of birds’ nests and their products from Malaysia.

 

Since 2011, the Malaysian government has been engaged in discussions with their counterpart in China in trying to resolve the issue.  We are pleased to say that the total ban will be soon with the signing of an export protocol on 19th September 2012 between the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry (MoA) Malaysia and the Chinese Government.

 

 

The Export Protocol prescribes certain terms and conditions which our exporters must comply with, including auditing by the China NationalCertification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA).  Since then, two Processing Plants in Sarawak have been audited last may by CNCA and are awaiting the outcome which hopefully will allow them to resume exports to China.  In addition, the Government does not delay issuing export permit but first China has to issue import permit. It is against the procedure to issue export permit without first seeing the import permit from the importing country.

 

 

There is no restriction to export to other countries; however the market  need to be explore further so that we not only export to China.

There is also very huge opportunity to do bottling and branding for local consumption as well for export. Look at Tongkat Ali, Red Bull, Malta etc. and the very successfull Coca Cola brand globally.

More anti-palm oil campaigns on the horizon with new hurdles Commodities Talk - By Hanim Adnan

WHILE Malaysia fought admirably to topple the anti-palm oil campaigns such as the Nutella Tax proposal in France and the palm oil labelling issue in Australia last year, more smearing campaigns instigated by Western NGOs and green activists are set to crop up this year.

Of particular interest would be the possible introduction of new trade barriers targeted specificially at palm oil by several member countries within the European Union (EU).

Market observers, including the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), are saying that 2013 would see a dangerous new tide of trade regulations, red tape and protectionism that would jeopardise the market access of palm oil and other vegetable oils into the EU.

The EU governments are now legislating their food standard policy in which palm oil, in particular, is being attacked both on the health and sustainability fronts.

In France, the false claims on palm oil's alleged adverse impact on health and the environment being circulated in the French media continue to influence the minds of consumers there, despite the support for palm oil by French scientists and experts from the Centre for Agricultural Reseach for Development, the renowned Pasteur Institute and the French Foundation for Health and Nutrition.

What started in France last year has triggered a domino effect, whereby the safety concerns on palm oil are being heavily raised in Belgium and Switzerland.

In Belgium, the Constitutional Health Council is undertaking investigations on palmitic acid and is planning to publish a report outlining the fabricated dangers to the Belgian consumer's diet.

Also, similar to what had happened in France last year, several politicans in Switzerland are championing for a ban on using palm oil in certain districts.

According to the MPOC, the European Commission (EC) later this year would release a Communication on Sustainable Food believed to be the first step towards an EU policy outlining full environmental and sustainability standards for food consumed in the region.

The EC is also looking at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of food consumption, reducing the land use of food imports, incentivising the improvement of resource efficiency and food security and reducing water usage in agriculture.

In view of all these, will Malaysia, as one of the world's largest producers of palm oil, take a stand at the World Trade Organisation should the EU introduce its discriminatory sustainable food standards later this year?

Ironically, all this is happening at the onset of oil palm being extensively cultivated in new frontiers such as Africa, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar with the noble intention of generating income and eradicating poverty among smallholders and farmers.

Given the growing world population and per capita income, it has been projected that palm oil demand would continue to increase from 45 million tonnes in 2010 to 60 million tonnes in 2015, and hitting a whopping 75 milllion tonnes in 2020.

In terms of yield, palm oil production is one-tenth more than other oilseed rivals such as soybean oil and rapeseed oil, making it far more economical to produce crude palm oil.

Deputy news editor Hanim Adnan knows that the truth will prevail in the battle between palm oil and its detractors.