Processing of swiftlet product in Can Gio – Ho Chi Minh City. Photo ©FAO Viet Nam ECTAD

In Viet Nam, there are 24.000 swift bird houses distributed in 42 provinces with an estimated production of 130-150 tons/year. This agriculture production commodity looks forward to a significant growth following a recent trade agreement to export swift bird product to China.

However, there is no adequate database to support the management and traceability of swift bird products. Limited biosecurity and biosafety instruction guidances and documents had been introduced for farming, swiftlet house mainternance and product processcing. The Department of Livestock Production (DLP) in collaboration with FAO Viet Nam ECTAD organized a conference "Reviewing the state of swiftlet farming and database development" to support the implementation of the national livestock database including bird nest house ID codes, introduce good bird house management practices and requirements for exporting.

The meeting welcomed 107 participants from ten agencies in central level (24 participants), 18 provinces and cities (32 participants), 35 companies, associations and other from private sector (47 participants) and 4 media agencies. After the meeting, DLP and related agencies visited bird nest houses in Ho Chi Minh City, Long An as well as some other bird’s nest processing establishments.

The meeting recognized many comments and contributions from participants from central management agencies, provincial management agencies and especially from private sector on the current challenges and difficulties along the swiftlet supply chain and propose solutions to promote the sustainable development of the swiftlet industry as well as understanding of the requirements and actions to be taken to meet the export market requirements and obtaining the ID code. DLP identified issues to be addressed, including:

i) Guiding the related stakeholders on granting ID codes for swift-bird houses
ii) Drafting the decision on the registration and birdhouse ID code granting
iii) Developing a circular on management of other animal including swift birds
iv) Developing a database on swiftlets house good management practices and
v) supporting private sector to apply biosecurity guidelines and traceability system.