Vietnam exported bird’s nests to China via official channels by air for the first time on January 5, the Government News has reported.

The products were exported by the Hai Yen Company from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City to its partner in Shenzhen, China.

The company was granted an export code by China’s General Administration of Customs last October.

Le Thanh Dai, Chairman of the Vietnam Swiftlet Farming Association, said China is a market of great potential for Vietnam’s bird’s nests, and exports via official channels to the country will create opportunities for the industry to boost its development.

Forty-two of Vietnam’s 63 cities and provinces engage in bird’s nest farming, with over 22,000 bird’s nest houses. Annual output is some 150 tons.