KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — The Halal Industry Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (HDC), an agency under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, expects Malaysia’s halal exports to increase by between four per cent and five per cent this year from the RM43 billion recorded in 2017.
HDC Industry Development vice president, Hanisofian Alias said the projection was based on the global Muslim population growth, the on-going efforts by the local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to produce more halal products and services, as well as collaborations with other ministries and foreign counterparts.
“We are also optimistic that the national target of RM50 billion halal export by 2020 can be achieved despite global economic uncertainties, including the ringgit’s volatility and the United States-China trade tensions among others.
“For example, there is ample room in Indonesia’s halal market, as Malaysia’s exports to the country only accounts for less than one per cent of its halal imports,” he told reporters after the “Navigate Your Business Towards Success Into Indonesia’s Halal Market” seminar here today.
Hanisofian noted that it was important for exporters, particularly SMEs, to keep themselves updated with the right information and understand the processes, as well as regulations of foreign countries like Indonesia, although they may already have halal certification from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
He said Indonesia will be implementing the Indonesia Law No 33/2014 on halal product assurance by November this year, which requires all products and services entering its territory to be halal certified by the authorities there.
“We are working closely with Jakim and our Indonesian counterpart to understand the matter and hope that in October, we can have a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the halal certification processes and its label on Malaysian products,” he added.
Malaysia’s exports to Indonesia stood at RM2.2 billion in 2017 and at RM1.45 billion as of the third quarter of 2018.
During the seminar, participants were briefed on the implementation of the Indonesian Halal Product Assurance Law No. 33/2014, the Indonesian consumer lifestyle ecosystem and information on the country’s market, expectations and opportunities which they can tap into.
The seminar was attended by 150 halal exporters, organised by the HDC and Ark Incorporation Pte Ltd, a halal advisory and consultancy services provider. — Bernama
