Establishing Can Gio bird’s nest association

Mr. Truong Tien Trien, Deputy Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Gio district, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Livestock Production Pham Kim Dang, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Office, and others were in attendance at the Congress.

Can Gio district, which is home to a Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, possesses every advantageous condition for the establishment of a swiftlet farming business. Indeed, swiftlet farming originated comparatively early in this region compared to numerous other provinces and communities. At present, the Can Gio district is home to 519 swiftlet houses, generating an annual average harvest yield of 14 to 15 tons of unprocessed swiftlet nests.

As per Mr. Truong Tien Trien, Deputy Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Gio district, swiftlet farming in the area continues to adhere to a self-developed approach and struggles with a lack of connectivity in product consumption, despite the considerable potential for development.

"In particular, we have not yet established the swiftlet production process in accordance with export specifications. It continues to be swiftlet hunting that drives flock population. The formation of the Can Gio Bird's nest association is crucial for the efficient and sustainable growth of swiftlet cultivation", according to Tien Trien.

The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issued Decision No. 5993 regarding the formation of the Can Gio Bird's nest association on December 23, 2023. A social-professional organization operating under the auspices of the Can Gio District People's Committee. It is anticipated that the Can Gio Swiftlet Association will establish swiftlet farming as a distinctive and emblematic product of the Can Gio district, with the intention of expanding the product to e-commerce platforms and exporting bird's nests.

A fifteen-member Executive Committee of the Can Gio Swiftlet Association was elected during the inaugural session of the Congress. The election of Mr. Tran Phuong Tuan as the Association's Chairman took place. Ms. Tran Thi Lan Anh, Mr. Vo Van Hong, Mr. Tran Thanh Tan, and Mr. Nguyen Hoang Tuan serve as vice chairs. The Association has garnered the involvement of fifty organizations and individuals thus far.

The Can Gio Swiftlet Association facilitates business collaboration, the exchange of ideas and experiences, and social interaction among swiftlet cultivators in Can Gio. In addition, it facilitates the dissemination of market information, promotes market coordination, and strengthens the Can Gio swiftlet brand's competitiveness. This supports the objective of establishing a brand on a national level and venturing into global markets, thus making a positive contribution to the district's socioeconomic progress.

During his address at the Congress, Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, expressed his profound gratitude to the Can Gio District People's Committee for organizing the Can Gio Bird's nest association. This action is of great importance as it increases the product's value not only within the local swiftlet industry but also on a national scale.

"The Can Gio swiftlet product will undoubtedly continue to develop and gain popularity not only domestically but also internationally if the market is prioritized." "I express my aspiration for the advancement of the Association's members and the reinforcement of its mission," stated Mr. Phung Duc Tien.

Additionally, during his first tenure, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development hopes that the Can Gio Bird's Nest Association will make production linkage a top priority. Additionally, the Can Gio swiftlet brand must be developed with an emphasis on durability, long-term value, and effectiveness.

"The Can Gio swiftlet must also be vigorously developed in order to become a district flagship and a distinctive OCOP product of Can Gio," the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development stated. "Efforts should be made to develop the product for e-commerce platforms and to export bird's nests."