17 February
The edible nest of the black-nest swiftlet from the Myeik archipelagoes and Kawthoung areas in Taninthayi Region have been shipped by sea to a new foreign market, Singapore, according to a news release from the Ministry of Commerce.
The price of the edible nest is higher than the white-nest swiftlet. Merchants sought licences to export US$182,360 worth, weighing 388 kilos. A kilo is valued at $470, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
With the price of edible birds’ nests rising, the number of breeders of nests has increased along Kanna Road in Myeik Township.
Edible nest swiftlets are induced to build nests using bird-noise techniques at bird houses along the Strand Road in Myeik. The breeding business has become popular in the region, and many breeders are thriving, said breeders.
Earlier, breeders had to build nests on walls of mountains. Later, experimental breeding at bird houses was successful, allowing breeders to earn handsome profits, said a breeder.
Two types of nests are sold at the market, including those from islands and others collected from breeding houses.
To maintain the ecosystem of the islands, two islands in Myanmar’s marine territory have been designated as sanctuaries. The period of collecting is set at three months per year. The edible bird’s nests produced by swiftlets dwelling in the Myeik archipelagoes in Taninthayi Region are purchased by China, Malaysia and Thailand, after their being purified.—GNLM (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)
