SMEs Gain Insight Into Halal Market
Written by The Brunei Times Writer
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 05:40
Bandar Seri Begawan – A one-day workshop aimed at nurturing local
Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) towards achieving international
standard in food production and enhancing their capability to compete
in the global halal market was held yesterday.
The workshop was also to provide participants with a clear
perspective on Brunei’s comprehensive Halal Agenda and the possible
roles that they might play within the overall Halal programme; and
provide SMEs with a clear understanding of the assistance and support
available through various government agencies.
It was also to give
local entrepreneurs a broad understanding of the halal market and the
national halal initiative, thus enabling them to align with the
national agenda and make use of all available facilities offered by the
government to capitalise the opportunities emerging from the vast
expanding global halal market.
The workshop which was conducted by experts from Imarat Consultants
is also used as a fact-finding exercise to gain better understanding of
the challenges facing local SMEs in order to design effective
programmes to strengthen the SMEs in the halal sector.
The talks and discussions during the workshop focused on a number of
topics included “Opportunities in the Global and Regional Halal
Markets” and “Implementing Brunei’s Halal Agenda” delivered by Hjh
Normah Suria Hayati PJDSMDSU (Dr) NJ Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri, director of
agriculture.
The workshop was attended by more than 50 entrepreneurs from the food sector who have the potential to export their products.
Earlier, Effandi Hj Salleh, head of Entrepreneur Development Centre
said that the results gathered from the workshop would be tabled at the
coming International Halal Market Conference in August.
The Entrepreneur Development Centre of NUM will continue to hold
workshops to support local SMEs in a bid to develop local halal
industry in the Sultanate as a move to diversify the economy from oil
and gas. This initiative is in line with Brunei’s efforts to develop a
competitive and sustainable economy.
Present as guest of honour was Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid Hj Mohd Jaafar, the permanent secretary at MIPR.
