Malay bird nests may return to China

Exports of bird's nests from Malaysia to China may surge sharply once the Chinese government allows imports of such products from Malaysia again, a senior official from the Malaysian Federation of Bird's Nest Merchants said recently.

Currently, there is a strong demand in the Chinese market, where bird's nests have been in short supply for several months, he added.

The country banned the importation of bird's nests from Malaysia, one of the world's major bird's nest producers, last year after excessive nitrite was found in counterfeit nests. But the ban is expected to be lifted soon as the two countries recently signed a draft protocol to resume bird's nest trading.