PONTIANAK, thekabarnews.com—West Kalimantan has opened a direct export channel for bird’s nests to Singapore. The region shipped 103 kilograms of bird’s nests through Supadio International Airport in Kubu Raya regency.

The West Kalimantan provincial quarantine agency valued the consignment at S$95,110, or approximately Rp1.3 billion.

The West Kalimantan Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Agency facilitated the shipment and held a send-off at the airport.

Agency head Ferdi described it on Friday, September 18, as the first bird’s-nest export to Singapore to depart directly from Supadio.

That distinction does not mean Indonesia has never exported the commodity before. For example, the national quarantine agency reported a separate Rp15 billion shipment to China in February.

“The release of this first bird’s-nest export to Singapore is clear evidence that West Kalimantan’s leading commodity is highly competitive in the global market,” Ferdi said.

Based on the declared consignment value and weight, the shipment averaged about S$923 per kilogram. That figure describes this shipment’s reported trade value, not a standard market price or the exporters’ profit.

Ferdi said exporters must present clean nests accompanied by a health certificate from the area of origin. In addition, they must submit the goods to quarantine officers at an approved exit point.

Packaging must identify the product type, grade, net weight and production date so officials and buyers can trace the consignment.

“We at West Kalimantan Quarantine are fully committed to assisting businesses so they can meet all sanitation, food safety and traceability standards required by the destination country,” Ferdi said.

The agency also wants more local facilities registered to process cleaned bird’s nests. Processing the product in West Kalimantan, rather than sending it to another region first, could allow more of its value to remain with local businesses.

The new route alone, however, does not establish how much income will reach producers or whether regular shipments will follow.

“We will continue to encourage more registered facilities for processing cleaned bird’s nests in West Kalimantan so local people can enjoy more of the value added, without relying on interregional shipments,” Ferdi said.

Customs, airport and provincial officials attended the send-off alongside logistics operators and exporters.

For other West Kalimantan producers, the next test will be whether they can meet Singapore’s requirements consistently enough. Such success would turn this first consignment into sustained trade.