PETALING JAYA: No presence of the bird-killing Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has been detected in premises and products involving bird's nests in Malaysia monitored by Veterinary Services Department (DVS).
DVS said this comes after the Chinese government requested for the immediate suspension of all bird’s nest exports from Malaysia to the country after the viral avian disease was first detected in Malaysia earlier in March 2024.
“The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) requested that DVS halt any further export of bird’s nests from Malaysia from Dec 20, 2024.
“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),” the department said in a press release on Tuesday (Dec 31).
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 among domestic poultry.
The disease had been detected among chicken and ducks in Malaysia from March to June 2024, as reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health.
The department added that at least 22 consignments, containing 1.769 metric tonnes of bird’s nest worth RM7.23mil from 13 Malaysian exporters now had clearance issues to enter China’s borders.
DVS said it had since held discussions with Malaysian bird’s nest producers and exporters to update and discuss with them on what needed to be done to lift the suspension.
“DVS has also sent a detailed report on the status of the NDV epidemic in Malaysia and steps being taken to manage its spread to the GACC in order to provide assurance that Malaysian bird’s nest products sent to China are virus-free.
“The department is also looking to update PBNPEMC to ensure smoother and more effective export of Malaysian bird’s nests to China,” it added.
The Star previously reported on Dec 28 that Malaysian producers of bird’s nest were feeling the pinch after 15 tonnes of bird’s nest products worth RM50mil from Malaysia became unsellable 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 which include neighbouring countries Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.
China currently stands as the largest consumer of bird’s nests in the world, with the country accounting for over 96% of global consumption.
As of September 2024, Malaysia was reported to have exported a total of 102 tonnes of bird’s nest to China so far in 2024.
