Facinating Eco Park in Kuala Krai, Kelantan

If you post to me a question "Harry where in Malaysia is the Hotspot for Swiftlet Farming?"

My true answer at the moment is Kuala Krai, Kelantan.

Main reasons being there are lots of birds and not many birdhouses yet.

The town is not that big as compared to Kota Bahru and I was made to understand that there are a few BHs in town are harvesting at least 30 kilograms a month. Most of them are practising harvesting after the baby birds matured and leave the nests.

The harvesting technique encourage the multiplication of its population on every season. This will benefit all those new BHs built in the same area.

I have this observations that the swiftlet in Kelantan in general are larger in size, due to lots of food, and they tend to produce larger size nests. If you use proper technique the nests are cleaned with very little feathers.

The Ecopark I refer to is the Krai Eco Park located about 4 kilometers away from the main town (old and new). Actually it is sandwiched in between two swiftlets walet centrals.

Tested with the birdcall sound and the respond was marvellous. There were at least 1000 birds responded.

The best was when we observed these birds flocking around a bunch of wood logs that were stored on a piece of land beside the project. At any one time there were at least 500 birds.

From noon till late evening these birds keep flying around it and upon inspection we found out that these pile of logs were producing a kind of beetles, as big as a grain of rice, and were attracting these walet.

Beside providing a BH for you to invest in, they also provide ever ready birds in the same area.

I suggested to the sale person to relocate the logs to another location just beside the construction area. This might attract more people to buy the few units left.

Some interesting points about the project are:

1) The number of units is not that many, about 61 units only.

2) The project is located between two walet centrals.

3) The project is located in the hottest swiftlet area in Malaysia, currently.

4) The project is developed by a listed company who have a firmed joint venture partner with Kelantan State Development Board, a state owned investment arm.

5) The developer have purchased nearly all the raw materials that were required by the total project. The reason being, to avoid unneccesary price ascalations especially on those steel bars.

6) The project have been approved by the state goverment and this will resolve lisence issue matters.

7) This is the first project that I know off where outsiders can buy and own property in Kelantan State.

8) Each unit will be 3 stories and price varies from 438K to 1.5 million subject to the total square meters of each unit.

9) There are only 61 units and 30 have been sold. 31 unit left and 18 are for Bumiputras.

10) The cost is exclusive of all the internals and sound systems but can be negotiated when purchase is to be done.

11) Since the state have approved, the BH shall be built in accordance to swiftlet BH features from day one. Not like those in other states where you built to meet the certificate of fitness and after receiving those approval you then need to hack those walls and floors to make it to a BH.

12) Financial package are available if required.

13) The best are those swiftlets flying around the wood logs. I sincerely believed that this is the only project that not only provide you with BH but birds too.

14) According to their sales records most of the buyers are from Kelantan. A few from Kuala Krai itself.

I fully recommend for you to consider in buying at least one unit and the best is to buy in group.

Get four to five of your best friends and invest into a unit. Once filled up with nests get a buyer to buy over. I am very sure you will get back your investment within less then 2 years.

Be aware that you do need to put some effort in ensuring that your BH do attract those birds in.

One more interesting thing to add is the availability of cheap flight to Kota Bahru from Subang old airport.

I tried and it was marvellous. A small plane and just one hour I reached Subang .....

If you do have any other questions on the project please drop a line or call me for my sincere clarifications. Write to harryswiftlet@yahoo.com or call my mobile phone at 017 755 1318.