A seminar to boost trade in Halal products, which are manufactured under Islamic law, opened in the Malaysian capital city Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 27.
As part of activities under the 2011 national trade promotion programme of the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, the event was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia, and the Chinese Chambers of Industry and Commerce of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
Addressing the opening ceremony, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia, Nguyen Hong Thao, said that the event is a positive signal for Vietnam to cooperate with Malaysian businesses in manufacturing and exporting Halal products.
Thao said that the cooperation would not only help Vietnam exploit the Malaysian market but also the global Halal market, which is expected to be worth 2.3 trillion USD annually, thanks to the rising demand for Halal products from Islamic countries.
The event offered a chance for Vietnamese businesses to get an insight into regulations and criteria for the certification of Halal products issued by Malaysia.
In the first six months of this year, Vietnam’s total Halal food value reached 1 billion USD and this figure is expected to increase by 2015.
Currently, nearly 50 Vietnamese companies receive Halal certificates every year for seafood, which accounts for 60 percent of Halal products, beverages, canned food, confectionery, vegetarian food and medicine./.
