RFID Tagging On Malaysian Birdnests Is Not Practical !!!

I might be wrong but this whole idea of tagging swiftlet nests is a bit too out of the norm.

Dato Chua claimed that it was the Chinese Authorities that wanted such requirement but I was under the impression that it was the Malaysian Authorities that push this idea to them.

What can RFID benefit to swiftlet farmers?

Give me just 10 benefits by having those RFIDs implemented in your BH?

I don't think there is anything significant especially when you just started to operate a new BH.

Let me ask you this simple question.

Will those RFID tags brings more swiftlet into your new BH?

All that I know is that the moment you apply your BH to be tagged with RFID, you will be soon receive about three carload of visitors from the local authority and they will start to scrutinize with their set of rules.

There will be some fees to start paying either one off or yearly.

Their rule is not to help you to bring more birds into the BH but ........

So what do you think you will gain from this unusual experience.

The RFID tagging makes the life of swiftlet farmer more complicated.

We are looking at it as a part time or hobby but these RFID tagging will force you to be a full time operator.

They need to carry out very careful implementation methods that I think is way out of the norm.

During harvesting you need to put them into those tags boxes and send to those approved processing centres.

These centres will handle your nests with lots of care and at a higher processing fees.

The main issue in hand is the nitrite concentration.

What those Chinese Authorities are concerned about is the high content of nitrite in nests that are exported to China.

Putting those RFID tags is not the answer.

Recent complains from many swiftlet farmers:

 Taken from The Star: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/7/24/nation/11714928&sec=nation

Bird’s nest traders laud move to reject RFID tags

By YUEN MEIKENG
meikeng@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Bird's nest traders have welcomed the Government's effort to inform China of their objection to the plan to install radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on boxes imported from Malaysia.

It is learnt that the Veterinary Services Department would inform Chinese authorities of the local industry's objection to putting RFID tags on the boxes.

Malaysian Federation of Bird's Nests Merchants secretary Carole Loh said the federation was grateful that the Government had stepped in to help.

“It will be unsuitable to install RFID tags as the bird's nests will have to pass through many hands between the time they are harvested and when they reach the consumer.

“The integrity of the RFID tags will be compromised each time the boxes are opened, and there is also the danger of tampering,” she said yesterday.

The RFID technology is used to trace the origin of the bird's nests and identify the swiftlet birdhouse producing the nests.

The federation had earlier aired its grouses over obstacles in exporting bird's nests to China.

This led to department director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin and Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Hashim Abdullah to contact the Malaysian ambassador in China to inform him of the industry's objections to RFID tags.

Chinese authorities had halted bird's nest imports from Malaysia since July last year after tests revealed that they contained nitrite levels that did not meet health standards.

Loh said certificates obtained by bird's nests traders from the department and the Health Ministry could confirm that the products were fit for consumption and contained nitrite levels of below 30ppm.

“Since China banned our bird's nests last year, the industry has lost millions of ringgit in revenue,” Loh said.