PHUKET, June 25 (Berama) — Halal parks should be established in Malaysia and Thailand to facilitate the permanent promotion of halal products in both countries.
Terra Harvest Foods (M) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Debby Vijaya said today that such parks could act as one-stop centres for the selling and buying of halal products among manufacturers, traders and distributors.
“The parks will enable manufacturers, especially the small and medium-scale enterprises, to exhibit their products while traders from all over the world will know where to go if they want to get Malaysian or Thai halal products under one roof.”
She said halal parks in Malaysia and Thailand could permanently promote each other’s halal products apart from their own halal products.
“What happens in between this year’s halal expo and next year’s? With such parks, manufacturers can exhibit their halal products all year round and traders and distributors can come any time to see for themselves the halal products and do the business dealings.
“Although Matrade exhibits Malaysian products at its offices, it cannot dedicate its space solely for halal products due to limited space.”
She said the governments of both countries could facilitate the setting up of the parks, including stationing English-Thai translators in the Thai halal park as well as staff well-versed with their respective country’s business environment.
“One of the main problems faced by the Malaysian SMEs when they want to penetrate the Thai market is the communication barrier,” she noted.
Debby said the parks would be a win-win situation for governments, manufacturers, traders and distributors in further promoting halal products from both countries.
She said the parks could also be used as research and development centres for halal products.
Her Prai-based company which produces spice powder is among 30 Malaysian exhibitors taking part in the four-day Phuket Halal International Forum and Andaman Muslim Expo, here, which ends Saturday.
— BERNAMA