Edible bird’s nests produced in Can Gio, an outlying district of Ho Chi Minh City, will become globally popular if the product is branded, Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, told an event held in the southern metropolis on Saturday.

Speaking at a ceremony to establish a swift farmer association, called CSFA, Deputy Minister Tien said that the Can Gio bird’s nest will be favored by local and international customers if its quality is marketed widely.

The establishment of the association will play a key role in promoting the edible bird’s nest industry in Ho Chi Minh City in particular and Vietnam in general, he underlined.

Vietnam ranks among the world's leading countries for exporting high-quality bird's nests.

Due to limited supply sources, some local firms have recently imported the majority of bird’s nests into the country for processing and export, Tien said.

The vast Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve makes Can Gio District suitable to develop the edible bird’s nest industry, according to the Can Gio District administration.

The district is home to 519 swiftlet houses that generate an annual output of 14-15 metric tons of bird’s nests on average.

In spite of much potential for the edible bird’s nest industry growth, a legal framework for it has yet to be introduced, said Truong Tien Trien, vice-chairman of the district.

In addition, weak investments in farming swifts and poor connection with consumers have hampered the development of the industry, Trien noted.

Also, swallow farmers have yet to follow production steps that meet export standards, preventing bird’s nests in Can Gio District from accessing international consumers.

The establishment of the association is aimed at spurring the sustainability of the bird’s nest industry to push up economic efficiency, Trien added.

The association will connect swiftlet farmers in Can Gio District, act as a networking platform for farmers and firms, offer market information, and regulate the bird’s nest market.

Furthemore, the association will work toward building a brand for the Can Gio bird’s nest, and popularizing it in the global market, the leader of the district underscored.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee in late December last year issued a decision to establish the association under the management of Can Gio District.

Statistics from the Department of Livestock Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development indicate that Vietnam is seeing 42 of all 63 localities farming swifts, with over 23,000 swiftlet houses.

In November 2022, Vietnam shipped edible bird’s nests to China through official channels, opening up a tremendous opportunity for the former to tap the largest bird’s nest consumer in the world.

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