Great Potential In EBN Industry

My latest seminar entitle 'Swiftlet Industry In Sarawak' received termendous respond from public. I know it is not that easy to become successful in this venture but we should not just stop there. No pain no gain and pepatah melayu..Rajin dan tidak berputus asa is the key of success.

Swiftlet farmers face two major risks

Borneo Post

by Philip Wong
August 12, 2010, Thursday

SIBU: Swiftlet breeders, especially those in the urban areas, trying to cash in on the lucrative business are making two major gambles, one of which is that they may ultimately remain as unlicensed operators.

BIG EARNING: Swiftlets busy making nests inside a farmhouse.

The second is whether their farmhouses can attract their intended guests. Secretary of Sarawak Swiftlet Association Colin Wong said there was no guarantee that they would be given the licence to operate their swiftlet farmhouses. “The risk of not getting the licence to operate the swiftlet farmhouses is always there as a decision on issuance of licences for swiftlet breeding is still pending.

“Swiftlet breeders should therefore brace for the high risks involved,” Wong said when commenting on the big interest in the industry lately. Due to its lucrative returns, many potential investors had poured millions into the industry, hoping to make fast gains within one to two years. The retail price of unprocessed nests (unclean, raw) is between RM4,000 and RM5,000 per kilogramme while processed (clean, raw) is RM10,000 and an average farmhouse can produce about 1kg of bird’s nests monthly.

An officer from Sarawak Veterinary Service headquarters, during a recent seminar on ‘Swiftlet Industry in Sarawak’ had encouraged local people to go into the industry saying it promised good earnings. At present, swiftlet ranching licensing is under the purview of the Forest Department but Wong believed that none of the farmers were licensed. He concurred that more people were jumping on the bandwagon to rear swiftlets and start a business selling bird’s nests.

In the central region alone, it is widely estimated that there are now more than 1,000 swiftlet farmhouses. The bulk of the houses are in Sarikei and Mukah Divisions, with Sibu accounting for more than 100.  Besides the risks of not getting the licence, Wong said the operators should also brace for the risk of not getting the birds to their farmhouses. This is a clear risk as many operators have lamented over their failure to attract the birds. An operator here is said to have invested about RM300,000 to build a two-storey swiftlet farmhouse at Salim Road.

Unfortunately, to date, after more than three months, the farmhouse is yet to attract a singlet swiftlet. “In all types of investment, there are risks involved. And the bird’s nest industry is just one type of investment that carries a substantial amount of risks,” Wong pointed out. He said swiftlet farmhouses that failed to attract the swiftlets after six months would normally be considered a failure.

“However, there are cases where the swiftlets will come after six months. So all hope is not lost,” he added.

Wong said the association is looking into the possibility of holding dialogues for potential swiftlet breeders to provide them with proper guidelines and techniques to attract the birds to their farmhouses.

Very Vast Opportunity in this Industry

With my network with goverment sector and the private sector entrepreneur, I can see this industry can reward you so much income.

Panti Bird Sanctuary launched by DYMM Sultan Johor 2010-08-09

Panti Bird Sanctuary launched by DYMM Sultan Johor 2010-08-09

MNS JOHOR AGM 2010-07-24

MNS JOHOR AGM 2010-07-24

Earn big by rearing swiftlets for bird’s nest

by Eve Sonary Heng
August 7, 2010, Saturday

KUCHING: A simple house to rear swiftlets can be built for between RM10,000 and RM30,000. This, in essence, means that starting a business selling edible bird’s nest (EBN) is within the reach of almost everyone.

Veterinary officer from the Sarawak Veterinary Service headquarters , said although the investment was relatively low, the venture     required lots of hard work and patience to make it work.

But he said those who were serious in this business could easily earn a good income as EBN had been known as a health food for hundreds of years.“You do not need to invest so much to build a swiftlet house. For starters, you just need to build a simple one which cost from RM10,000 onwards.“Once you are successful, you can upgrade the house to improve your income,” he said when presenting his paper at the ‘Swiftlet Industry in Sarawak’ seminar here yesterday.

He said his office were ever ready to assist those who were keen to pursue this business.At present, swiftlet ranching licensing is under the purview of the Forest Department, while bird’s nest processing and import/export is under the State Veterinary Department. He revealed that Sarawak had been exporting EBN as raw or processed products since the 60s, and the export value was about RM100 million in the 80s. But revenue nosedived to RM60 million currently (for black nest) because of reduced takings from nest production caves and an increase in house nest (white nest).

“It is easier to produce house nest as long as you choose the right location. You can easily obtain a licence.

“But we do not encourage the making of swiftlet houses in the city as it cause noise pollution. You need to build them in agriculture land,” he added. He revealed that the retail price of unprocessed nest (uncleaned raw) cost between RM4,000 and RM5,000, while processed (clean raw) easily cost RM10,000.

“An entrepreneur can easily become a millionaire in a short time,” he remarked.

Penang swiflet industry needs a proper nest

By Marina Emmanuel

Published: 2010/07/21

As Penang celebrates its month-long George Town Heritage Festival to commemorate the second year of the city's listing as a Unesco World Heritage site, the issue of swiflet farming hovers over the heads of its authorities. Malaysia is currently looking at implementing the Swiflet Industry Guidelines for bird's nest harvesters to turn the business into a RM5 billion industry by 2020.  The issue being faced in George Town currently is that the swiflet industry is co-existing along residents and businesses of the historic inner city.  So-called "restored" shophouses are said to be fronts of swiflet farms, since swiflet farmers are believed to prefer buying or renting properties in George Town, than locate their operations in an agricultural area.

The hardened nests made up of swiflet saliva have been a delicacy treasured by the Chinese for centuries. The global market for bird's nest is said to be worth billions of ringgit.  Because of the head-start it had about two decades ago in swiflet farming on a commercial scale, Indonesia supplies between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of the delicacy consumed worldwide, mainly in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Macau, Singapore and North America. In 2008, the bird's nest industry was worth RM1 billion with unpackaged bird's nest fetching up to RM7,000 per kg.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar had recently said the guidelines for swiflet farming were aimed at reducing red tape by making licensing easier.  He said the Department of Veterinary Services, which prepared the guidelines, were simplifying the process of obtaining approvals with the Health Ministry, Department of Environment, Wildlife and National parks Department, Farmers' Organisation Authority and local authorities.

Among others, Noh said the guidelines encompassed the good husbandry practices, good manufacturing practice and edible bird's nest certification. They also cover import and export approvals, coordination by the department of city and town planning, registration and licensing.

George Town is currently home to an estimated 300 swiflet farms, which are said to be operating out of shophouses. The majority of these operators are believed to not have any licences to operate the business in the city.

The state authorities are now being asked to move fast to prevent further noise, smell, property damage and unsanitary conditions, which are now associated when swiflet farms over shophouses in George Town.

All it takes now is for a special area or zone to be designated for swiftlet operations and allow the industry to soar and rake in the high investments it is touted to yield.

Read more: Penang swiflet industry needs a proper nest http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/swift8/Article/#ixzz0ve6r9Jwl