KUCHING: The Sarawak Bird’s Nest Merchants Association has successfully facilitated the re-export of 225 kilogrammes of processed edible bird’s nests to China without additional export tax.
Its president Loh Siaw Kuei said the effort came in response to a request from four processed edible bird’s nest factories, whose exports were returned due to the Newcastle disease outbreak.
This, he asserted, was achieved after discussions with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).
“The bird’s nests exported by these four factories were forced to be returned, despite having already paid the export tax.
“As the epidemic subsided and the market gradually recovered, these factories sought to re-export their products and requested our assistance in securing a tax exemption,” he said during the association’s annual general meeting yesterday (Mar 21).
Loh pointed out that the industry continues to face challenges, particularly frequent thefts that have caused significant financial losses for farmers and traders.
He urged all industry players to reject illegal transactions and report suspicious activities to authorities.
“Only through collective industry-wide efforts can we effectively curb this harmful trend,” he added.
Additionally, he called on government agencies, particularly SFC and the Veterinary Department, to optimise and simplify export procedures to enhance Malaysia’s competitiveness in the global edible bird’s nest market.
He stressed that reducing bureaucratic red tape and improving administrative efficiency would enable industry players to expand their businesses in a more favorable environment.
Loh also noted that Malaysia has exported 102.1 tons of bird’s nests to China over the past nine months, reflecting strong market demand despite past challenges.
“Our greatest strength lies in unity. By working together, we can elevate Sarawak’s bird’s nest industry to greater heights,” he asserted.
