Exporting swallow’s nest is a profitable business. Swallow nests have long been exported by Indonesian traders, both legitimately and illegally, via Hong Kong to China. In 2009-2010, the Chinese Government implemented a policy that prohibited the importation of swallow nests from Indonesia.

The reason for the ban on swallow nest exports was due to the growing issue of bird flu and exacerbated by the issue of high nitrite content in the production of swallow nests from Indonesia. This situation poses a potential threat to the health of consumers in China. Nitrite is a compound that results from the breakdown of ammonia in swallow feces.

A meeting between the Indonesian Embassy in China and the Indonesian Swallow’s Nest Breeders and Traders Association (APPSWI) in 2015 with various Chinese policymakers, including CAIC (Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine) and CNCA (Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China), was one of the mediation efforts to open up swallow’s nest exports.

The meeting resulted in a positive outcome with the Chinese Government allowing swallow nests from Indonesia. Several legal companies with swallow nest export licenses can now export swallow nests to China. The exported swallow’s nests are put under rigorous scrutiny to ensure their safety for consumption, as per the stringent standards set by the Chinese Government.

This form of supervision from the Chinese Government includes the need for detailed information on swallow nest production, starting from the swallow nest production site and harvesting period to post-harvest processes and shipment methods. The requirement for nitrite levels must be below 30 ppm.