Upgrading swiftlet nest quality for official export to China

Tien Giang is a province with a thriving swiftlet farming industry in the Mekong Delta. The province currently has 1,720 swiftlet farming establishments concentrated in the eastern districts. The western districts have also been developing this industry. The number of establishments exploiting new nests has exceeded 50%.

Since 2023, Tien Giang Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health has implemented a plan to support swiftlet nest farming facilities as well as processing and preliminary processing facilities. The goal is to create linkages between production and consumption while aiming towards export, ensuring traceability and disease safety.

Accordingly, to proactively monitor avian influenza and Newcastle disease pathogens in poultry and swiftlets, the unit coordinated with the Sub-Department of Animal Health Region VI (Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) in taking samples for monitoring and disease safety at 30 swiftlet houses.

Tien Giang has two enterprises registered to participate in the official export of swiftlet nests to the Chinese market according to the Protocol. Initial results show that Tan Dong Agricultural Products Company Limited (Go Cong city) has been granted an export code by the General Department of Customs of China. Tri Son Services Trading Company Limited (My Tho city) has completed its documents and is waiting for the General Department of Customs of China to conduct an inspection.

To improve the quality and added value of swiftlet nest products, some businesses have boldly invested in processing lines and technology, while building brands and promoting products. Tri Son Services Trading Company Limited is one of the businesses with many outstanding activities in this industry locally.

Currently, this business has 30 swiftlet nest houses and is associated with over 200 swiftlet nest houses in Tien Giang, Long An, Ben Tre and Dong Thap provinces, providing the market with tons of swiftlet nest every month.

Tri Son Services Trading Company Limited has invested in a factory to produce refined swiftlet nests, plucking feathers using manual methods but still complying with ISO 22000:2018 food safety management standards. The modern equipment line is strictly controlled according to HACCP standards to produce safe and diverse products with more than 100 product lines.

The company invests in building product displays and introduction points to enhance product brand recognition for customers. They are also utilized as one of Tien Giang’s sales points for OCOP products.

“Due to the general situation, the price of bird's nest is decreasing by about 5-7%, however, the consumption output has not decreased. In particular, Tri Son Company has twenty-eight 4-star OCOP products and four 3-star products. The main products are refined swiftlet nest, cooked swiftlet nest, freeze-dried swiftlet nest, swiftlet nest wine, and swiftlet nest essence,” said Bui Bang Son, Director of Tri Son Services Trading Company Limited.

The West has a rich source of food for swiftlets, and the climate is suitable for the profession of raising swiftlets. Director Son estimates that the output of swiftlet nests in the Mekong Delta must account for approximately 70% of the country's total, and the quality of the nests is not inferior to other places.

According to Dr. Thai Quoc Hieu, Deputy Head of Tien Giang Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, in order to promote the potential of swiftlet farming, Tien Giang People's Committee has approved the provincial-level scientific and technological research project for the 2024 - 2025 period  "Solutions to promote the official export of swiftlet nest products of Tien Giang province to the Chinese market".

The project will develop technical solutions to improve the quality and added value of swiftlet nest products and propose measures to promote the official export of swiftlet nest products of Tien Giang province to the billion-people market.