Edible bird’s nest producers have called on the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) to facilitate the industry’s access to the Chinese market.

Nang Sothy, president of the Cambodia Bird’s Nest Federation, said yesterday that the association had requested the MoC to include the delicacy on the list of items eligable to apply for China’s strict Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) protocols.

“Cambodia has never officially exported to China. But now we want to be their official supplier so that we no longer depend on Vietnam and Thailand to access the market,” Sothy said.

Currently, Sothy said Cambodia exports the raw edible bird’s nest, made from the saliva of Asian Swiftlet birds, for about $800 per kilogram to Vietnam and Thailand where it is then processed and sent to China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea.

“We need SPS protocols to get into the Chinese market. We cannot get good prices when we are forced to sell our products to Vietnam and Thailand,” he said, citing the price for processed bird’s nest at $2,000.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce could not be reached for comment.