Malaysia’s FAMA keen on Brunei Halal Brand

Brunei Halal

By FITRI SHAHMINAN

THE Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), the marketing arm of Malaysia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, is keen to market products manufactured by Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under the Brunei Halal Brand, a senior official from the agency said yesterday.

FAMA is willing to assist and link up any interested Malaysian SMEs with Brunei Halal Brand, in order to penetrate the regional and international market under the brand, said Asmuee Hj Ahmad Yunus, FAMA’s Assistant Director for International Market.

“FAMA is definitely willing to do this. Brunei Halal can just name the products, we will look for the rightSMEs who can meet their demand and then we can match them,” he said.

Asmuee was optimistic that there would be a number of young Malaysian SMEs who would not mind giving up their brand name abroad as part of a strategic marketing approach.

He said that such arrangement would benefit both Malaysia and Brunei and that FAMA is currently looking

“Of course, in business we have to have our own brand, at the same time, we have to supply to others to have a good marketing strategy. So we have to do that, it’s still a win-win situation. We have a lot of industries producing various kind of products. I think we can collaborate (with Brunei Halal) in that area,” he explained.

Formed in 1965, FAMA monitors, coordinates, controls and develops product marketing of Malaysian agriculture, including import and export, he said.

Agricultural products under FAMA service’s field include vegetables, fruits, grain and herbal as well as livestock and aquaculture.

Asmuee is currently heading a FAMA trade delegation consisting nine Malaysian SMEs, who are also looking for local distributors to help market their products.

“We found the response at Consumer Fair to be very positive in the past four episodes that we have participated in. At the same time we are also looking for other distributors in Brunei to market some of the products that our SMEs are showcasing today,” he said.

According to a previous article, Brunei Halal products are distributed in Singapore by NTUC Fairprice while in the UK, Brunei Halal Brand products will be sold in major retail stores and supermarkets.

Brunei Wafirah Holdings has already established an office, a warehouse and a distribution centre in the United Kingdom called Brunei Wafirah UK.

The Brunei Halal brand has also been invited to set up an office in the upcoming Agrotechnology Park located in Kampung Tungku.

The 500-hectare project, of which the first 50 hectares is expected to be completed within 30 months, is expected to be the Sultanate’s hub for halal research and development.

The Brunei Times