Over the past five years, breeding swiftlets has become a trend in Bac Lieu Province, particularly in the city. Many houses for swiftlets have been built in the city without receiving permission from local authorities. Some families even expand their homes to have more space for raising the bird. 

Many households in the southern province of Bac Lieu have been rushing to raise swiftlets

According to people who live near households which raise the bird, every day they have to suffer from the sound used to attract swiftlets. 

They have informed local authorities of this problem as well as environmental pollution issues; however, the situation has not improved.

The provincial veterinary authorities have reported that by mid-2017, the province would have 340 houses for raising swiftlets with a total number of 215,000 birds, compared to just 107 houses in 2013. The number of the bird may reach 400,000 by 2030.

However, many households have raised the birth without being licensed as regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

 A house used for raising swiftlets in Bac Lieu Province

Every month, households in Bac Lieu Province provide a total around 120 kilos of edible bird's nest to the market. Each kilo is priced at around VND20 million (USD909).

Despite high profits, raising swiftlets also poses potential risks. Many people do not understand clearly the techniques but have poured billions of VND into building swiftlet houses; but they failed to successfully raise the bird.

Meanwhile, specific regulations on the swiftlet breeding have not yet been issued, causing difficulties for the management. Many households use loud sounds to attract the bird, however, there are no legal foundations for local authorities to fine them.

Nguyen Duy Hung, deputy head of the Bac Lieu Veterinary Board said that the management agencies should early issue regulations.