KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is the global leader in the development of standards for halal products, making the country highly respectable and a good role model to emulate, said Italian-based World Halal Development (WHAD) President Anna Maria Aisha Tiozzo.
Anna Maria Aisha Tiozzo, President, World Halal Development (WHAD)
She said Italy had learnt a lot from Malaysia, which adopts the concept of halal that were very high in terms of quality and certification.
“Malaysia’s halal products are well known all over the world. In Italy, we don’t have any law on halal sector. We have problems in halal certification, good manufacturing practices (GMP) certification, as well as the recognition of registration of the products.
“Unfortunately, there are a lot of fake certification bodies around the world (but) we trust Malaysia. The country also assists many production companies, including foreign firms, to get GMP,” she told Bernama after the memorandum of understanding (MoU) document exchange ceremony here, today.
The event, witnessed by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation Chief Executive Officer Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud, was held on the sidelines of the four-day Global Halal Market Place 2016, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Anna Maria Aisha said raising the awareness on the quality and ingredient of halal products, coupled with the growing population of Muslims in Italy and other countries in Europe, presented a vast opportunity for the industry.
“We need halal products in Europe because we (Muslims) are a big community. Our second and third generation (which also include the non-Muslims) are more interested in halal products and are very committed to consume them.
“(This is) because of product hygiene (and the sentiment that) brings us back to the religion and culture (of Islam) that link us as a community,” she added. At present, the halal industry in Europe is valued at about US$66 billion and is expected to grow at between 20 per cent and 25 per cent in a decade.
On the MoU, WHAD is collaborating with Yayasan Media Hebat to organise a Malaysia-Italy Halal Summit 2016, to be held in Italy in November this year.
The summit will showcase more than 300 halal products such as food and beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals from Malaysia and other Asian countries to the European market. “By organising this summit, we hope to spread the role of Malaysia as a global halal hub not only to the Italian market and entrepreneurs, but also throughout the European Union,” said Yayasan Media Hebat President/Chief Operating Officer Datuk Dzulkarnain Taib. — Bernama
