More SMEs can enter global market via MIHAS
JAKARTA: Malaysia
International Halal Showscase (MIHAS) annual trade fair, which brands Malaysia
as the world halal hub, has enabled more local small and medium enterprises
(SMEs) to export their halal products and services globally.
Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) deputy chief
executive officer Datuk Zakaria Kamaruddin said the SMEs had especially benefitted from the
Incoming Buying Mission (IBM), which have been part of Mihas’s attraction
every year.
“IBM brings more than 500
pre-selected foreign buyers every year to partake in personalised and
pre-arranged one-to-one business meetings with local manufacturers of halal
products and services. Last year the IBM had recorded total sales of US$127mil
(RM394mil),” he told Bernama in an interview on Monday.
Zakaria, who is here on a
mission to promote the Kuala Lumpur World Halal Week scheduled on April 3-6 at
the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, said over the last nine years, MIHAS has
enabled Malaysia to continue recording an increase in its export of halal
products and services.
Data showed that in 2010, Malaysia’s total export of halal
products were valued at US$7.17bil (RM22.23bil), representing 3.6% of
Malaysia’s total export value of US$198.3bil (RM614bil).
The figure increased to US$10.9bil (RM33.8bil) or 5.1% of the total
export value of US$215.6bil (RM669bil) in 2011.
Zakaria said Matrade had
always encouraged Malaysian companies and SMEs to market their halal products
and services in Indonesia for the benefit of both countries, to the extend that
they could eventually venture into opening factories in Indonesia.
Indonesia was fast emerging
as an important market in the global economy and provided a great potential for
the two countries to develop the halal industry within the region together, he
said.
Indonesia was Malaysia’s 10th
largest trading partner in 2012, accounting for 4.5% of Malaysia’s total trade.
In the coming MIHAS 2013, Indonesian exhibitors will represent the
largest participation taking up 30 booths while 18 Indonesian companies with 27
representatives will participate in the IBM.
Source : The
Star
Date : 12 March 2013
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