Malaysia To Produce RM5 Billion Worth Of Swiftlet Nests By 2020

November 25, 2009 12:39 PM
Bernama


JOHOR BAHARU, Nov 25 Nov (Bernama) -- Malaysia is expected to have 100,000 swiftlet nest farms by 2020 and capable of producing 500 tonnes of birds' nests, worth RM5 billion, year for the world market.

Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar said last year, 250 tonnes of birds' nests worth RM1 billion were produced from 50,000 swiftlet farms in the country.

"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants the swiftlet nest farming to be a big industry in the country and the ministry will work to achieve it," he said when opening a seminar on "Iskandar Malaysia-China Bird Nest Business Opportunity 2009 here on Tuesday's night.

Noh said one of the Key Performance Index (KPI) of the ministry was to make bird's nest farming one of the important industry in Malaysia.

He said that on April 1 this year, the Cabinet agreed that the Veterinary Service Department be the lead agency in the development of the country's swiftlet nest industry.

However, he said, involvement of the private sector was needed to ensure the industry could develop.

He said the ministry had allocated RM300 million through the Agro Bank for the industry's development and that the fund had bee utilised.

"Private investors should play their role to develop the swiftlet nest industry and not rely on the government alone for fund," he added.