LONDON: Malaysia needs to redouble efforts to increase its halal product exports and towards that end, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) should be given a higher allocation for marketing the country’s products and services abroad, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pix).
Current efforts to promote local products do not seem to be aggressive enough, he said.
“Although efforts (to market halal products) have begun from the early 1980s, they are still not significant enough for markets like the United Kingdom and Europe.
“Hence the efforts must be done in tandem with those carried out by Matrade…. We also have (activities by) Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) via the Gate to Global programme and Halal Development Corporation Bhd (HDC),” Ahmad Zahid, who is on a four-day working visit to London, told reporters after visiting the Malaysian-owned Chuanglee cash and carry store here.
He is scheduled to officiate the World Halal Business Conference (WHBC) organised by HDC on Oct 27-28 in London where he will deliver the keynote address on the first day.
Ahmad Zahid said action must be taken from now given the global halal market’s potential.
He said government agencies and the private sector can no longer act in silos but should instead work together to promote products from the country. –Bernama