Halal Expo To Help Smes Break Into World Market
Written by The Brunei Times Writer
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 05:48
Bandar Seri Begawan – More development of the Brunei Halal Brand
will be unveiled during the International Halal Product Expo, which
will allow local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to explore wider
business opportunities, said a senior Ministry of Industry and Primary
Resources official.
Permanent Secretary Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid Hj Mohd Jaafar said
that the Brunei Halal Brand initiative is aimed to strengthen the
position and role of Brunei in the halal sector, through the
establishment of the Halal Science Centre and Agrotech Park, which
provides facilities for output activity and export of halal products.
During a halal workshop for SMEs, he said that the International
Halal Market Conference will be held as a step towards disseminating
information on the development and progress of the global halal
industry, aside from the product exhibition involving local and
international SMEs.
Throughout the three-year duration since the project was conducted,
government agencies have taken several initiatives to develop the halal
product industry in the country, according to the permanent secretary.
Among them is the introduction of the Brunei Halal Brand which was launched by His Majesty during the opening of the third International Halal Product Expo in 2008, he said.
The aim of the brand was to allocate a platform for SMEs in the country to penetrate the international halal market.
He went on to say that with Brunei’s strong background in Islam,
combined with the nation’s philosophy of Malay Islam Monarchy (MO), the
country is in full pursuit of the development of halal industry.
“I am confident with the process of halal product accreditation
which is based on Brunei’s stringent standards, will raise trust in the
worldwide halal market,” said Dato Hj Mohd Hamid.
Business with the concept of halal has the most growth in the world with about two billion users, added the permanent secretary.
“Halal is also a new market that has generated attention of not just
Muslim users, but also for non-Muslims, by emphasising the importance
of cleanliness, freshness and free from contamination in each
manufactured/output of halal product,” he said.
The halal industry is expected to generate $632 billion per year and
further increase at a fast pace from year to year. “Interests and
demand relating to such services continue to increase in the world
market,” he said.
He added that entrepreneurs taking the opportunity to fulfil fardhu
kifayah (communal duty) will be able to accumulate halal earnings and
profits.
He hoped that the halal workshop would be able to raise awareness on
business opportunities in the local and global halal industry among
SMEs.
The workshop was expected to enable SMEs to open their mind to
ensure they explore opportunities in a new niche market aside from what
they have been currently doing, and encourage them to be more involved
in government initiatives through the Brunei Halal Brand.
“I hope that it will truly create involvement of local SMEs in
creating a halal industry as one niche which gives them a competitive
edge in a competitive world market. This will not only bring profits
for entrepreneurs, but also assist the country to attract foreign
investment and open up more job opportunities for locals. He added.
