Swiftlet farming ‘a lucrative business’

WITH prices reaching as high as RM10,000 per kilogramme, it’s little wonder why questions on swiftlet farming dominated question time in the state assembly yesterday morning. Questions ranged from the issuance of licences to the mushrooming of bird “hotels” to the viability of swiftlet farming in some coastal areas of the state to revenue generated from the export of the bird’s nests.  The questions were raised by Julaihi Narawi (BN-Sebuyau), Datuk Wan Abdul Wahab Wan Sanusi (BN-Sadong Jaya) and Abu Seman Jahwie (BN-Jemoreng).

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Naroden Majais, in reply, said from the Forest Department’s records, bird’s nests production has been on the increase over the last two years. He said the volume harvested had increased by 36 per cent during the period.  In 2008, 2,094.6kg was harvested while last year it was 2,854kg.

Naroden said bird’s nests farming was a lucrative business in the state.  On the control of the mushrooming of “bird hotels” in the state, Naroden said inspections and checks are carried out twice a year. “From last year until March this year, 418 illegal bird ‘hotels’ have been detected.”

He said the Forest Department issued notices to the premise owners and they had been advised to apply for the appropriate licences if the location of their bird “hotels” did not contravened existing laws and regulations.

In rural areas, bird “hotels” should not be within 500m radius of urban areas.

Pointing out that bird’s nests was a lucrative business, Naroden said in 2008, the export of birds’ nests was valued at RM8.7 million.  It was RM11.41 million last year and this year until mid-last month, the export value was RM7.03million.

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