No Newcastle disease found in country’s bird’s nest products: Malaysian officials

PETALING JAYA – No traces of the

bird-killing Newcastle disease virus (NDV)

have been detected in bird’s nest premises and products in Malaysia that have come under official monitoring, says the country’s Veterinary Services Department (DVS).

DVS said this after the Chinese government requested the immediate suspension of all bird’s nest exports from Malaysia to the country after the viral avian disease was detected in Malaysia in March 2024.

“The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) has requested DVS to halt any further export of bird’s nests from Malaysia since Dec 20, 2024,” said DVS in a statement on Dec 31.

“This includes any raw-cleaned edible bird’s nests and raw-uncleaned edible bird’s nests as aligned with the Protocol on Bird’s Nest Products Exported from Malaysia to China (PBNPEMC).”

NDV, while only causing mild symptoms if passed on to humans, is known to cause severe symptoms in birds that often lead to huge mortality and morbidity rates in domestic poultry.

The disease had been detected among chickens and ducks in Malaysia earlier from March to June 2024, as reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health.

The department added that at least 22 consignments, containing 1.8 tonnes of bird’s nest worth RM7.23 million (S$2.2 million) from 13 Malaysian exporters, now face clearance issues to enter China’s borders.

On this, DVS said it had since held discussions with Malaysian bird’s nest producers and exporters on what needs to be done to lift the suspension.

“DVS has also sent a detailed report to GACC on the status of NDV epidemic in Malaysia and steps being taken to manage its spread to provide assurance that Malaysian bird’s nest products sent to China are virus-free,” it added.

“The department is also looking to update PBNPEMC to ensure smoother and more effective export of Malaysian bird’s nests to China.”

The Star reported on Dec 28 that Malaysian producers of bird’s nest were feeling the pinch after 15 tonnes of bird’s nest products worth RM50 million from Malaysia became unmarketable as a result of the sudden suspension on export to China.

Currently, Malaysia is one of four countries permitted to export bird’s nests to China, along with Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

China currently stands as the world’s largest consumer of bird’s nests, typically produced from the saliva of swiftlets, with the country accounting for over 96 per cent of global consumption.

As at September 2024, Malaysia was reported to have exported a total of 102 tonnes of bird’s nest to China. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK