M'SIA'S BIRD NEST PRODUCERS TO MAKE CONSPICUOUS PRESENCE AT CAEXPO 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, the world's second largest
producer of edible birds nests, is sending a good number of industry players to
the 8th China-Asean Expo (CAEXPO 2011) in Nanning, China, next week.

They represent about half of the 36 exhibitors occupying the Health and
Wellness segment of the 2,900 square metre Malaysian Pavilion at the Nanning
International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Among them are Aeries Pure Bird Nest (M) Sdn Bhd, Dragon Bird Nest Sdn Bhd,
Ecolite Biotech Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, EBN Industries Sdn Bhd, Golden Swiftlet
Product Sdn Bhd, Sari Walit Sdn Bhd and Wing Shen Food Industries Sdn Bhd.

CAEXPO is an annual event held in Nanning since 2004 under the Framework
Agreement of China-Asean Comprehensive Economic Cooperation.

It plays an important role in strengthening bilateral trade between Malaysia
and China as well as with other Asean countries, and serves as an ideal platform
for Malaysia to promote its products and services to the combined Chinese and
Asean markets of 1.9 billion populace.

"The Chinese love our bird's nest. They know ours are of premium quality,"
said Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chief executive
officer Dr Wong Lai Sum..

"Every year, a lot of distributors and Chinese companies come to this expo
to source for bird's nest.

"Their first stop normally, if they are non-price sensitive and if they are
quality sensitive, is the Malaysia Pavilion," she said in an interview.

For the six-day CAEXPO 2011 that kicks off on Oct 21, Matrade officials have
reminded bird's nest producers, both raw and processed, to follow strictly the
guidelines for bird's nest products.

In a recent briefing for all Malaysian participants, bird's next producers
were told to obtain Certificate of Country of Origin from the International
Trade and Industry Ministry, the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers,
chambers of commerce or trade associations.

For raw bird's nest, they must also obtain the veterinary certificate from
the Veterinary Services Department and a Health Certificate from the Health
Ministry is necessary for both raw and processed bird's nest.

The annual global market for the swiftlet nest is worth RM10.2 billion
(US$3.4 billion), of which, Malaysia is currently the world's second largest
producer with RM1.5 billion ((US$0.5 billion) sales.

The government aims to capture 40 per cent of the global market for edible
bird nest in 2020, according to the Treasury in the 2010/2011 Economic Report
released last week.
-- BERNAMA