Myanmar’s edible bird nest industry comes home to roost
BOKPYIN, MYANMAR: The cries of amorous swiftlets echo around the dark room, an unlikely gold mine for traders in southern Myanmar who are cashing in on rising demand for the edible nests from China’s growing middle class.
Dozens of buildings dedicated to the tiny birds have sprung up around Bokpyin in recent years, their grey concrete structures towering over the humbler wooden and brick homes of the town’s human inhabitants.
Every morning and evening the air is filled with high- pitched twittering blasted from loudspeakers that draw thousands of the swallow- like birds home to roost.
Edible birds nests have become one of the main industries in the town, traditionally known for producing the chewable stimulant betel nut as well as rubber and palm oil.
Traders can charge around US$ 2,000 a viss ( equivalent to 1.63 kilogrammes) for the tiny nests – more than the average person in Myanmar earns in a year.
“We started making man-made bird nests ( houses) 10 years ago,” said Paing Set Aung, who owns one of the buildings where hundreds of swiftlets make their homes in the rafters.
“Initially there was a house where the birds came to roost by themselves. After that, people started to construct man- made bird houses.”
Most of the tiny white nests, which are made from solidified bird spit, are sold to neighbouring China.
Long considered the reserve of the country’s wealthy elite, who ate them during lavish banquets, they are in increasing demand from middle- class consumers.
Today the global edible birds nest industry is estimated to be worth US$ 5 billion, most of it produced in Southeast Asia.
Myanmar’s exports have surged since 2011 – the year the former junta handed over power to a quasi- civilian government.
“Bird nests are one of the main businesses in Bokpyin,” said local Lin Aung, who built his first house five years ago and is now on his third.
“China is the top buyer of bird nests here.”
Once across the border, the nests are transformed into one of the most expensive foods in the world. — AFP