Big business in Birds Nest in Myanmar seaside town

The cries of amorous swiftlets echo around the dark room, an unlikely gold mine for traders in southern Myanmar, who are cashing in on the rising demand for the edible nests from China’s growing middle class.

Dozens of buildings dedicated to the tiny birds have sprung up around the seaside town of Bokpyin in recent years, their grey concrete structures towering over the humbler wood and brick homes of the town’s human inhabitants.
Every morning and evening, the air is filled with high-pitched twitterings blasting 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, which is traditionally known for producing betel nut (areca nut), a chewable stimulant, as well as rubber and palm oil.
Traders can charge around US$2,000 (RM8,591) a viss (equivalent to 1.63kg) for the tiny nests – more than the average person in Myanmar earns in a year.
“We started making man-made Birds 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 at lavish banquets – they are increasingly in demand from middle-class consumers.
Today, the global edible Birds Nest industry is estimated to be worth US$5bil (RM21.5bil), most of it produced in South-East Asia.
Myanmar’s exports have surged since 2011 – the year the former junta handed over power to a quasi-civilian government.
“Birds 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 Birds Nests here.”

Big business in Birds Nest in Myanmar seaside town

‘Caviar of the East’

Once across the border, the nests are transformed into one of the most expensive foods in the world.
When boiled in water, they dissolve into a gelatinous gloop which is then made into desserts, or drunk as a soup or a tonic that is said to prolong life and improve strength.
There is little peer-reviewed scientific data showing that nests have proven medicinal properties. Nutritional studies have shown the saliva to be mainly made up of protein, followed by carbohydrates.
In Shanghai, restaurants sell this “the caviar of the East”, as it is known, for hundreds of dollars a bowl.
Many of them cater specifically to women, who believe the nests can help smooth the complexion and make them look younger.
The tonic is also said to help during pregnancy – one of Shanghai’s high-end spas solely for mothers-to-be even has its own restaurant, and sells gift bags for as much as RMB3,900 (RM2,431).
Shoppers can also order the products online, including candied Birds Nests from Myanmar to be eaten as sweets.
“In China, the Birds Nest has been a really famous and much-loved traditional tonic since ancient times,” Zhang Yi told AFP, speaking from her NestCha restaurant.
“It is mild and a little sweet. It is good for women, the elderly, children and men.”

Growing industry

These luxury products are a far cry from the nests’ humble beginnings on the islands of Myanmar’s southern archipelago.
To begin with, they were harvested on the region’s many islands by daring climbers, who risked life and limb scaling treacherous cliffs without any safety equipment.
For years, the industry was dominated by the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (Umehl), a sprawling conglomerate controlled by the military elites that ran Myanmar for half a century.
But, as in much of South-East Asia, production has increasingly moved into urban centres.
Locals in the southern city of Myeik started building houses to attract the birds decades ago; later, production spread to Bokpyin and nearby Kawthaung.
There are now more than 130 houses devoted to the swiftlets dotted around the region, according to state media.
Competition for space in Bokpyin between Birds Nest producers and tourism developers has seen land prices surge to as high as US$75,000 (RM322,000) a plot in the downtown area – on par with parts of the commercial capital Yangon.
Nests are normally harvested three or four times a year, but traders can collect them as often as once a month if they are in need of cash.
Producer Aung Kyaw Moe said that because the swiftlet populations naturally increase as the birds become accustomed to their homes, the industry will only grow in the coming years.
“They are like humans, because they come and live here after they get to know the place,” he told AFP, standing next to his tall wooden bird house in Myeik. — AFP/Athens Zaw Zaw & Matthew Smith

Benefit & Nutrition Value Of Birds Nest

You would have heard by now that among the most popular Chinese medicinal food is the Birds Nest. This type of food can be costly where it could start from hundreds and reaches to thousands of ringgit. Basically, Birds Nest is known to be a very nutritional type of food which is very good for health.

Benefits Of Consuming Birds Nest

Birds Nests are widely consumed mainly for health and beauty purposes. Here are some benefits of consuming Birds Nests:

• Boost and improve cell growth and aid in repairing skin damage.
• Serve as a form of anti-aging agent that not only rejuvenates but also bring back luster and elasticity to skin.
• Contains minerals that are good for fighting diseases and to increase your immunity system, for example, amino acid that can replaces the nutrients that are missing from your body.
• Increase a person’s appetite while boosting it’s digestivity.
• Contains EGF (Epidermic Growth Factor) that not only protects your internal organs but also gives the skin radiant glow that makes you look prettier.
• The proteins found within the Birds Nest can also help boost intelligence of childrens and provide them with better skin texture.

Birds Nest are so popular with its benefits so well known that other types of medicinal herbs

There is natural Birds Nest which are sourced and extracted from the most natural methods which makes them more expensive. Meanwhile, there are the so-called artificial or ‘manufactured’ types which are cheaper in nature.
So what makes Birds Nest so popular. Why would people go to great lengths to find and enjoy Birds Nest? This is because research has shown that Birds Nest contain a rich amount of nutrients that are very organic. This includes minerals like zinc, copper, sodium, calcium, potassium while it has a lot of soluble glycoprotein and amino acid.
Throughout history, it has been recorded that traditional Chinese medicine doctors have used Birds Nest for various medicinal reasons. This includes using this highly beneficial product for the use of treating asthma and bronchitis while it is known to help rejuvenate the skin and for anti-aging purposes.
According to scientific research, it has been found that Birds Nest can actually facilitate more than just skin rejuvenation. In fact, it can help in growth and provide the human body with vital energy it needs. It helps to accelerate any type of recovery from diseases while keeps the body strong in terms of immunity and metabolism.
Birds Nest are so popular with its benefits so well known that other types of medicinal herbs like the abalone, eggs and sea cucumbers do not come close. For the pregnant woman, Birds Nest is highly recommended because it helps to increase the overall health of both the mother and the child.
It helps to grow the brain of the baby while ensuring that the mother’s general health and immune system is strong. On top of that, mother’s who have given birth are encouraged to take Birds Nest as it helps them to recover faster while maintaining their overall beauty and body shape.
In most cases, Birds Nest can be consumed as they are while there are many instances when this type of food is served with other accompanying dishes like fresh milk, soup and others. This is most commonly done for the younger people as it helps to enhance their metabolism and immune system.