KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has maintained market access for edible bird’s nest (EBN) exports to China after signing a new Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine and Hygiene Requirements for the Export of Raw-Unclean Edible-Birdnest and Raw-Clean Edible-Birdnest with the country, thus ensuring the continuity of trade worth around RM1.5 billion a year.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the protocol was signed by him and the Minister of General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), Sun Meijun, in conjunction with the 9th China-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on SPS Cooperation in Chongqing, yesterday.
“This protocol sets out the latest technical requirements relating to veterinary inspection, hygiene, labelling and auditing for the export of clean and uncleaned raw EBN to China.
“It replaces two protocols signed in 2012 for the export of clean raw EBN and in 2016 for the export of uncleaned EBN to China,” he said in a statement today.
Mohamad said China remained the main destination for Malaysian EBN exports with total exports increasing from 201 tonnes in 2022 to 484 tonnes in 2024.
“The signing of this protocol is very important to ensure the continuity of Malaysian bird’s nest exports to the Chinese market as well as to strengthen Malaysia’s reputation as a leading supplier of high-quality EBN (Edible Bird’s Nest) products in the region,” he said.
He said the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) would continue to act as the competent authority to regulate the certification, veterinary safety and inspection of registered processing plants in collaboration with Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Service (MAQIS).
Mohamad said Malaysia also intends to expand agricultural trade cooperation with China, including finalising a new protocol for the export of poultry products in the near future.
“The implementation of this protocol is expected to directly benefit more than 15,000 swallow house operators and 61 processing plants that have been approved by GACC, thus increasing the competitiveness of the country's agro-food exports,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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