Date: 29 March 2008
KOTA BARU: Kelantan is emerging as the country's second largest producer of swiftlet bird's nest, after Perak, with over 300 farms.
Farms in Kota Baru, Tumpat, Pasir Mas and Rantau Panjang are the main producers in the state.
The industry is expected to contribute to the economy of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), which Kelantan is part of.
Other swiftlet farms within the ECER are Kampung Air Papan in Mersing; Kuala Besut, Kuala Terengganu, Tok Soboh and Kampung Pinang in Terengganu; and Rompin and Pekan in Pahang.
One of the leading producers here, Nespure Birdsnest Sdn Bhd's managing director Ng Ching Phock said it has become a new industry capable of generating the local economy and creating jobs.
The company has its own swiftlet farm and markets the product directly from its outlet here.
"Local bird's nest is among the best in the world. There is high demand in the international market for raw and processed local bird's nest."
Ng said the company employs Muslim workers to harvest clean, process and select quality bird's nests using traditional methods.
The swiftlet farming industry has grown over the last eight years with over 36,000 farms throughout the country by the end of 2006.
Malaysia is the world's third largest producer of bird's nests with 7 per cent of gross supply value behind Indonesia (60 per cent) and Thailand (20 per cent).
The total world consumption value of the product in 2006 was estimated to be worth up to RM12 billion.
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