IPOH: The newly-formed Malaysia Birds Nest Alliance wants
the Government to allow industry players to export raw and unprocessed birds'
nests (RUBN) to more countries.
Its president Lim Lai Soon said the
alliance would submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister at Parliament on
Tuesday.
He said nearly all of the country's RUBN producers and
farmers were currently in a limbo as the export ban from China on birds nest
imports had yet to be lifted.
“We want the Prime Minister to help by allowing us to
export RUBN to Korea, Taiwan and other countries.
“There is also a great demand from factories and producers
for RUBN in China,” he said here yesterday.
Lim also said the alliance was made aware that the protocol
signing between Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh
Omar and the Chinese last month was only for the re-entry of edible
bird nests (EBN) into China.
”The protocol will see China accepting only the EBN while
the RUBN will still be kept in storage here.
“A lot of industry players, especially swiftlet farmers are
affected by this new protocol, causing millions in losses every month,” he
said.
Last month, Noh Omar signed the protocol in Nanning with
China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Minister Zhi
Shuping to allow the export of birds nest products into China.
Last week, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Chua
Tee Yong said Malaysia hoped to resume export of raw cleaned birds
nest in December.
Lim said about 50 tonnes of RUBN were harvested and
produced every month by some 60,000 swiflet farms.
“RUBN is worth between RM4,000 and RM5,000 per kg,” he
said.
The original article is here.
