By Niam Seet Wei
XIAMEN (China), Sept 7 (Bernama) — More Malaysian swiftlet operators will likely be allowed to export raw unclean bird nests to China by next year, said the Malaysian Federation of Bird’s Nest Traders Association.
Its President, Datuk Lee Kong Heng said the agreement has been drafted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry of Malaysia and Chinese authorities.
“If everything goes on smoothly, more swiftlet traders can join the fray by next year,” he told Malaysian journalists here after attending the signing ceremony of the China’s Cubilose Capital Investment Project and attending the Southeast International Cubilose Industrial Alliance inaugural meeting here Sunday.
China lifted the ban the import of raw clean bird’s nests from Malaysia in 2013, but allowed only eight companies to export them.
It is learned that Chinese authorities have in principle agreed to give approval for more Malaysian companies to export raw unclean bird’s nests to China, subjects to protocols to be agreed by both countries.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Federation of Bird’s Nest Traders Association signed the China’s Cubilose Capital Investment Project agreement with three Chinese companies, namely Lead Evergreen (Beijing) Investment Co.Ltd, Xiamen Haicang Investment Group Co. Ltd, and Xiamen Evernest Chain Operation Co. Ltd for a bird’s nest project in Xiamen today.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting.
Also present was Minister Counsellor for Economics at the Malaysian Embassy in China Ong Chong Yi.
— BERNAMA
