KOTA KINABALU, May 22 — The value of swiftlet bird’s nests in the state is expected to increase when the Beluran Area Farmers Organisation’s (PPK) swiftlet bird’s nest processing centre begins operating this year.
Sabah Farmers Organisation Board, Production and Business Unit head, Aqmal Asyraf Salleh said through the centre, the operators involved would stand to gain as the guaranteed purchase price of the bird’s nest could be increased to about RM4,000 per kilogramme (kg) and this could go higher according to its quality.
“If the grade A swiftlet nest in the market is worth between RM3,000 to RM3,500 per kg, we can fetch higher prices by the time the processing centre is ready because there is no need to send them over to the Peninsula for processing,” he told Bernama when met at the Malaysian Family Aspirations (AKM) tour programme at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here which ends today.
In June 2020, Agriculture and Food Industries Minister (MAFI) Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee allocated RM1.4 million for the upgrading of the Beluran PPK’s swiftlet birds’ nest processing centre.
When completed, the plant will benefit over 800 farmers in Beluran district and the surrounding areas..
Meanwhile, Aqmal Asyraf said through JAKM, the Farmers Organisation Board, which is an agency under MAFI, also gave visitors the opportunity to see a replica of the swiftlet bird’s nest.
He said the replica had attracted visitors to the MAFI booth, and many were interested to know more on how to start a swiftlet house project and the processes involved.
