RFID is required for registration

Bird’s nest farmers and traders are advise not to dismantle the Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) installed by the veterinary division of Agriculture Department.

According to Dr Humrawali Khan, the state’s veterinary authority, as many as 270 RFIDs had been installed by the veterinary division in swiftlet farms and bird’s nest processing factories statewide.

“The FRID is just a small gadget on the wall. It will not interfere with what is going on in the swiftlet farms and should not bother the farmers.

The veterinary division started to install the devices in bird’s nest farms and factories in Sarawak since late last year until April this year. The registration exercise will facilitate the issuance of export permit and veterinary health certificate for those who want to export their birdnest product.


According to him, in the agreement signed between China and Malaysia, the former still insisted on traceability of bird’s nests imported from Malaysia.

“In my opinion, China still insists on traceability of our bird’s nests while our traders and farmers are against it.
“However, I am yet to be briefed on the latest development with regards to bird nest trades,” he added.

There are about 4,000 swiftlet farms across Sarawak and more than 449 of them are licensed ones who have registered with Sarawak Forestry Department.

“There are 22 bird’s nest traders who are involved in processing bird’s nest and five bird’s nest related associations in Sarawak,” said Humrawali.


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/10/12/farmers-traders-at-liberty-to-remove-rfids/#ixzz298W3qbFH

Bird’s nests to head for China in December

LANGKAWI: The local bird's nest industry is set to soar again in December with the resumption of exports to China.

Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Chua Tee Yong said Malaysia hoped to resume the export of raw cleaned bird's nests in December.

“The country hopes to do this by the end of the year before working with China over the issue of raw uncleaned bird's nests.

“We will meet the Health Ministry to look into China's requirements for the traceability of bird's nests produced in Malaysia right from the farm,” he said after launching the First Regional Conference on Agrobiodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Utilisation here yesterday.

A list of exporters for bird's nest would also need to be forwarded to China, added Chua.

“The arrangement is similar to durian exports, in that the fruits need to go through an audit by China's General Administration on Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

“The traceability issue is not confined to Malaysia. Any country that imports food will want some form of traceability,” he said.

Last week, it was announced that China had agreed to set aside the mandatory use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on bird's nests exported by Malaysian swiftlet farmers from the protocol of entry into the country.

With the removal of the mandatory use of RFID, swiftlet farmers can now use any of the three traceability systems recognised by the Government, which are the RFID, barcode and QR (quick response) code.

Some 250 tonnes of Malaysian bird's nests were exported to China before the country imposed a ban in July last year after finding high levels of nitrites.

On another matter, Chua said farmers should carry out sustainable good agricultural practices, involving the controlled use of pesticides, fertilisers and other chemicals, to ensure food security.

Bird's nest farmers want assurance

BUTTERWORTH: The assurance by the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry that China had agreed to lift the mandatory use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on bird's nests exports has failed to convince many local swiftlet farmers.

Some 50 representatives from various swiftlet farmers' associations nationwide said they would not believe it until they saw the assurance in black and white.

The group is now demanding to see the contents of the protocol of entry concerning the export of bird's nests before the agreement is signed between Malaysia and China in Nanning on Sept 20.

The representatives were from Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Perak, Selangor, Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak.
"Why do we need to trace every single material from the different farms that goes into the production of bird's nests?

"It would make us less competitive while burdening us with higher cost," said Dr Ho Boon Cha, a representative from Perak.

He said the bird's nest industry was worth RM20 billion and Malaysia was a top global producer before it lost out to Indonesia.

Chinese authorities, in relaxing the RFID tags rule, still want Malaysia to manage the traceability of bird's nests, right from the farms.


Read more: Bird's nest farmers want assurance - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/bird-s-nest-farmers-want-assurance-1.144619#ixzz27fviFqf3

Noh: China drops RFID from protocol on bird’s nest export Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/09/15/noh-china-drops-rfid from protocol on birds nest export.

PUTRAJAYA: China has agreed that Malaysian swiftlet farmers use technology other than Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), one of the conditions for the export of bird’s nest to the country.

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar said yesterday RFID (to identify the origin of bird’s nest) will be dropped from articles 8 and 9 of the protocol on the export of Malaysian bird’s nest to China.

However, the Chinese government decided that a traceability system be implemented by Malaysia starting from the swiftlet farms up to export stage.
“China wants traceability because if any problem occurs, it will help them know from which birdhouse the bird’s nest come from,” he told reporters here.

Noh said the approval was given by the Minister of General Administration Department for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China (AQSIQ), Zhi Shupi in a letter yesterday in response to the ministry letter dated September 7 seeking clarification on several matters, including RFID.
Swiftlet farmers associations had protested against the use of RFID claiming it was not practical and would affect business.

Noh said several associations had requested that raw, unclean bird’s nest be allowed export to China and included in the protocol.
However, China only allows the export of raw, clean bird’s nest.
“The door is still open and we will continue to discuss so that raw, unclean bird’s nest can be exported to China,” he added.
Malaysia and China will sign a protocol on conditions for the export of bird’s nest to China on Sept 19 in China. — Bernama


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/09/15/noh-china-drops-rfid-from-protocol-on-birds-nest-export/#ixzz27aK7Bhfr

No more RFID for bird’s nest By JOSEPH SIPALAN jsipalan@thestar.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: China has agreed to set aside the mandatory use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on bird's nests exported by Malaysian swiftlet farmers from the protocol of entry of bird's nests into China.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar said China's General Administration on Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine accepted Malaysia's request for the removal of the mandatory requirement, following protests from associations representing swiftlet farmers.

The Chinese authorities however insist that we have a mechanism to manage the traceability of bird's nests produced in Malaysia right from the farm, he told a press conference at his office here yesterday.

With the removal of the mandatory use of RFID, swiftlet farmers now have the freedom to use any of three traceability systems recognised by the Government.

This includes RFID, barcode and quick response or QR code.

Noh said they would also set up an advisory board, made up of representatives from his ministry and associations representing swiftlet farmers, to make sure communication lines remained open between both parties.

On the issue of exporting raw uncleaned bird's nests to China, the minister said this would only be raised in a new round of discussions with the Chinese Government as the current protocol of entry which is expected to be signed on Sept 19 in Naning, China only covers raw cleaned bird's nests.

Noh also slammed a group of swiftlet farmers who are refusing to accept the Government's solution to China's current ban on Malaysian bird's nests.

“If they cannot even accept this (new arrangement), then it is clear that they simply want this industry to fail,” he said.

Some 250 tonnes of Malaysian bird's nests were exported to China before the country imposed a ban in July last year after finding high levels of nitrites.

However, in April this year, the Chinese authorities signalled that they might lift the ban after setting conditions, which included a nitrite content level not exceeding 30 parts per million.

No more RFID for bird’s nest

By JOSEPH SIPALAN
jsipalan@thestar.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: China has agreed to set aside the mandatory use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on bird's nests exported by Malaysian swiftlet farmers from the protocol of entry of bird's nests into China.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar said China's General Administration on Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine accepted Malaysia's request for the removal of the mandatory requirement, following protests from associations representing swiftlet farmers.

The Chinese authorities however insist that we have a mechanism to manage the traceability of bird's nests produced in Malaysia right from the farm, he told a press conference at his office here yesterday.

With the removal of the mandatory use of RFID, swiftlet farmers now have the freedom to use any of three traceability systems recognised by the Government. This includes RFID, barcode and quick response or QR code.

Noh said they would also set up an advisory board, made up of representatives from his ministry and associations representing swiftlet farmers, to make sure communication lines remained open between both parties. On the issue of exporting raw uncleaned bird's nests to China, the minister said this would only be raised in a new round of discussions with the Chinese Government as the current protocol of entry which is expected to be signed on Sept 19 in Naning, China only covers raw cleaned bird's nests.

Noh also slammed a group of swiftlet farmers who are refusing to accept the Government's solution to China's current ban on Malaysian bird's nests. “If they cannot even accept this (new arrangement), then it is clear that they simply want this industry to fail,” he said. Some 250 tonnes of Malaysian bird's nests were exported to China before the country imposed a ban in July last year after finding high levels of nitrites.

However, in April this year, the Chinese authorities signalled that they might lift the ban after setting conditions, which included a nitrite content level not exceeding 30 parts per million

not to be worried about China’s Radio Frequency Identificaquirement forthe export of bird’s nests.

KUCHING: Birdhouse owners in Sarawak are advised not to be worried about China’s Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) requirement for the export of bird’s nests.
Malacca Bird’s Nest Merchant s Association president John Chen said the RFID requirement was only for the processing of the nests and not the birdhouse.
He added that RFID was only needed if the bird’s nests were for export to China.
“ I hope that Sarawak birdhouse owners are not worried about the requirement and to support the Federation of Malaysia Bird’s Nest Merchants Association president Datuk Tok Teng Sai in helping those in the industry.”
He said Tok would join Malaysian Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar to Naning, China, for the signing of the protocol for entry of cleaned bird’s nests into China.
Chen said that firstly the protocol was for the acceptance of five per cent clean product export and the second was for the 95 per cent raw material export.
At the moment, the deal with China is for the clean product export with 30 ppm nitrate levels.
The RFID tag allows a product to be easily tracked from the source to the consumer.
The tag contains a microchip embedded with details about the harvest.
The federation has 27 registered bird’s nest association members, of which four are from Sarawak.


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/09/03/chinas-rfid-requirement-nothing-to-worry-about/#ixzz26UcwYgmN