Lesson 2: Removing Barriers

Lesson 1: Abundant Raw Material Areas

DIFFICULT TO TRACE THE ORIGIN

One of the biggest obstacles lies in the product management and traceability system. Currently, most bird's nest production facilities in Kien Giang still operate spontaneously, without establishing a unified control system from the bird's nest farming stage to the finished product.

According to the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine of Kien Giang province, the province has more than 3,000 swiftlet farms, but only about 300 register for disease monitoring annually. This leads to significant limitations in tracing the origin of swiftlet nests, which is a crucial requirement of official import markets. Currently, the province has 4 swiftlet nest production and trading enterprises in the process of completing export applications, but this number is still far too small compared to the local potential.

Leaders of Thuan An Import-Export Investment and Development Joint Stock Company ( Ho Chi Minh City) conduct a survey at the production facility of Fanza Bird's Nest Limited Company (Ha Tien City).

Furthermore, the majority of swiftlet farming and processing facilities in the province have not yet met international certification standards such as ISO, HACCP, FDA, or JMA. This is a crucial factor in helping Kien Giang swiftlet products access demanding markets.

According to Le Van Tai, General Director of Thuan An Import-Export Investment Development Joint Stock Company, the company is actively cooperating with swiftlet farmers in Kien Giang to export refined swiftlet products to China. However, although the products of some establishments have met the quality and design requirements of foreign partners, they still lack the necessary international certifications to be granted official export licenses. Therefore, swiftlet farming businesses in Kien Giang need to closely coordinate with relevant authorities to quickly complete the necessary documentation to meet the requirements of potential import markets.

Besides facing obstacles in management and quality standards, bird's nest production in Kien Giang is also characterized by small-scale, fragmented operations lacking strong linkages between bird's nest farms, processing businesses, and manufacturing enterprises. Pham Duy Khiem, Vice President of the Vietnam Bird's Nest Association, noted that although Kien Giang has a Bird's Nest branch under the Vietnam Bird's Nest Association, it has yet to create sustainable linkages between production and business units within the province. This makes the province's bird's nest industry less competitive in the global market.

According to Ms. Vo Thi Diem, Director of Hung Diem Trading and Service Co., Ltd. (Rach Gia City), many swiftlet farmers still have the habit of processing swiftlet nests themselves and selling them individually, without participating in the supply chain with commercial enterprises. Therefore, this leads to inconsistent product quality, a lack of uniformity in processing procedures, and difficulties in controlling output quality.

Although some customers from China place orders for tons of bird's nests each month, local facilities are unable to meet the demand due to fragmented operations and a lack of cooperation between bird's nest farmers and processing businesses. This also prevents the province from establishing large-scale, centralized bird's nest processing areas, thereby reducing the competitiveness of Kien Giang bird's nests in the international market.

LACK OF CAPITAL AND TECHNOLOGY

Besides barriers related to management systems and production linkages, businesses and swiftlet farming households in Kien Giang also face difficulties in accessing bank loans and investing in modern production technology.

According to Tran Quoc Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Kien Giang Swiftlet Association, many members wish to invest in advanced technology to improve product quality but are limited by capital. Currently, bank loan policies for swiftlet farming still face many obstacles, making it difficult to expand production. In addition, swiftlet processing technology in Kien Giang is still quite manual and does not meet stringent international standards.

Representatives from Thuan An Import-Export Investment and Development Joint Stock Company (Ho Chi Minh City) visited the finished bird's nest packaging process at the production facility of Fanza Bird's Nest Company Limited (Ha Tien City).

Meanwhile, provinces and cities with more developed processing industries have invested heavily in modern technology, enhancing product value and giving their products a competitive advantage in official exports. This further intensifies competition in the bird's nest industry, requiring Kien Giang to make significant strides if it wants to improve its position in the global market.

Recognizing these challenges, provincial authorities have been developing plans to overcome difficulties and create favorable conditions for local bird's nest products to access official export markets. The top priority is establishing a strict management system, ensuring clear traceability and aiming for international standard certifications. Simultaneously, promoting production linkages between bird's nest farmers, processing businesses, and manufacturers is essential to enhance the competitiveness of Kien Giang bird's nest products.

Furthermore, the province needs policies to support capital and technology, enabling businesses and swiftlet farming households to invest in modern equipment and improve product quality. Access to development support funds and simplified loan procedures will give Kien Giang swiftlet farming businesses more motivation to expand production scale and meet international export standards. If these barriers are effectively addressed, Kien Giang swiftlet farming has the opportunity to reach further into the global market, contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality.

Text and photos: KIEU DIEM

*To be continued, Final Article: Helping Kien Giang bird's nest reach further*

Source: https://www.baokiengiang.vn/kinh-te/bai-2-thao-go-rao-can-25316.html