Data from China shows that the country imported 220 tons of bird’s nest in 2020, over 300 tons in 2021, and 425 tons in 2022 – equivalent to over $8 billion and accounting for 80% of the global market share. The main sources of these imports were Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and, most recently, Vietnam, according to TTXVN.
As of the beginning of this year, seven Vietnamese enterprises are permitted to export bird’s nest products to China.
In Vietnam, the commercial bird’s nest farming industry is a new sector that started in 2004 in the southern provinces and has grown rapidly in the past decade.
China consumes up to 80% of the world’s bird’s nest supply.
Currently, 42 out of 63 provinces in Vietnam have bird’s nest farming, with over 22,000 birdhouses. The country’s annual bird’s nest production reaches approximately 150 tons, valued at over $600 million. With the positive trade relationship with China, the bird’s nest industry has many opportunities for growth.
At present, China only imports bird’s nests through official channels from four countries: Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
According to a scientific article published in the European Business Review in 2019, the bird’s nest trade in Southeast Asia is substantial. Approximately 2,800 tons of bird’s nests are traded annually in the region.
Indonesia and Malaysia are Vietnam’s main competitors in the Chinese market.
Several Southeast Asian countries can produce and export bird’s nests, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Indonesia is the largest supplier of bird’s nests in the region, exporting approximately 2,000 tons annually. Malaysia follows with 600 tons, while Thailand’s export volume ranks third compared to other countries.
According to the latest data from Indonesia’s National Statistics Agency (BPS), the country exported 387.4 million dollars worth of bird’s nests – approximately 290 tons – to China in 2022. Indonesia’s bird’s nest exports to China in 2021 were valued at 350.8 million dollars, equivalent to 228.8 tons.
Vietnamese Bird’s Nest is Highly Regarded by Connoisseurs
However, Thailand has not been focusing on the Chinese market recently. In 2023, the Thai bird’s nest industry exported less than 500kg of bird’s nest to China for the entire year, according to Mr. Hong Dinh Khoa, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Vietnam National Bird’s Nest Company, in an interview with the Vietnam Agricultural Newspaper.
Meanwhile, Malaysia and Indonesia strongly focus on the Chinese market. These two countries have a long history of bird’s nest farming and currently produce the most significant volume globally. While their production is high, they have almost no domestic market, so all the bird’s nests they harvest are exported overseas.
Chinese consumers have shown a positive response to Vietnamese bird’s nest.
Due to the pressure to export large volumes, the bird’s nest industries in Malaysia and Indonesia have been focusing on price competition. To make sales, they are willing to lower their prices, which has caused a significant decrease in bird’s nest prices worldwide.
According to Mr. Le Thanh Dai, Chairman of the Vietnam Bird’s Nest Association, the price of bird’s nest in China was 12,100 CNY/kg in 2021. It decreased to 9,000 CNY/kg in 2022 and further dropped to 8,000 CNY/kg in 2023.
According to Mr. Hong Dinh Khoa, Vietnamese bird’s nest is highly regarded by discerning and sophisticated consumers because of its distinctive pungent flavor. Another advantage is that Vietnam’s natural cave and island bird’s nests have been famous worldwide for a long time.
In China, those who appreciate fine food have shown a positive response to Vietnamese bird’s nest. As a result, when Vietnamese bird’s nest was officially exported to China, it sparked interest and curiosity among Chinese consumers. They wanted to try it to see if it lived up to its reputation for superior taste.
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