A workshop was held in Nha Trang city on July 10 to identify ways toboost the production of salangane nests – a delicacy from the centralprovince Khanh Hoa.

The event, held by theKhanh Hoa Salangane Nest Company and the Ministry of Science andTechnology, was attended by nearly 100 delegates, including officials,scientific and technological experts, and salangane researchers.

Speakers underscored the necessity of in-depth studies on how tosustainably raise salanganes, a species of swiftlets, and harvest theirnests. They also highlighted the potential impacts of climate change andhuman activities, and suggested solutions to protect the species.

Prof. Dr Mai Dinh Yen from the Hanoi-based Vietnam NationalUniversity said Khanh Hoa needed to conduct comprehensive studies on thelocal salangane species and build reserves where the bird can breed inpeace without human interference, which is crucial for the species’survival and the economic success of nest products, especially at thenational level.

Director of the Khanh Hoacompany Le Huu Hoang called upon coastal localities throughout thecountry to devise investment strategies and consider developing breedingsites for salangane in favourable areas, helping Khanh Hoa expandsalangane breeding and nest harvesting.

The workshop was part of the on-going 2015 Nha Trang Sea Festival, which ends on July 14.

The salangane lives in caves on limestone cliffs and makes nestsusing its own saliva. The nest is a popular but an expensive traditionaldish which is believed to have health benefits.

Khanh Hoa is home to the largest salangane population in Vietnam.

The Khanh Hoa Salangane Nest Company, tasked with developing andharvesting salangane nests, now owns 169 salangane caves on 32 islands.

In 2014, it harvested more than 3.38 tonnes ofsalangane nests, the main ingredient in a number of products that areexported to 21 countries and territories around the world.-VNA