Exporters from Malaysia, the world's largest producer and exporter of halal food products, are going to showcase the country's multi-billion dollar halal industry, which last year recorded $9.79 billion worth of exports worldwide, at the ninth edition of Halal Expo Dubai on September 18 and 19.
Malaysia will be represented by 15 ready-to-export entrepreneurs at the national pavilion at the expo. Malaysia's Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries is leading the country's participation, representing halal food, cosmetics and the pharmaceutical sectors.
Globally, Muslim expenditure on food and beverage was estimated at $1.12 billion in 2014 and potentially rising to $1.58 billion in 2020. Muslim expenditure makes up 16.7 per cent of global expenditure on F&B in 2014. Malaysia's external halal F&B sector is of critical importance, as F&B was Malaysia's top halal export in 2015, followed by palm oil derivatives ad halal ingredients.
Globally, the Muslim market for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics is valued at $54 billion or seven per cent of global expenditure. The cumulative average growth rate for this sector is 6.8 per cent between 2014 and 2020, in which Malaysia ranks just behind Singapore and Egypt.
"Halal products exposition always evokes a strong interest amongst Malaysian producers of halal products due to the country's leadership in this sector. Malaysia, a pioneer in the global halal movement, will demonstrate its leadership in halal food, beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products at Halal Expo Dubai this year," Shahid bin Abu Bakar, Consul of Agriculture at the Consulate-General of Malaysia, said.
The UAE is one of Malaysia's largest trading partners among the GCC countries with a total trade around Dh21.6 billion.
Halal Expo Dubai is the largest business-to-business halal exposition in the Middle East for the $2.3 trillion global halal industry. The event, which attracted participation from 13 countries in its previous edition and registered 3,700 trade visitors from 40 countries, expects larger trade participation where buyers and sellers of halal products and services are expected to do brisk business.
Congratulation!