More Malaysian SMEs Able To Enter Global Market Through 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.

Source from (The Star Online): http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/12/business/12824754&sec=business
Published: March 12, 2013

Source from (Bernama): http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v7/bu/newsbusiness.php?id=933675
Published: March 12, 2013

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. — Bernama