HDC sees five to six pct halal exports growth this year

KUALA LUMPUR: The Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) expects the exports of halal products to grow between five per cent and six per cent this year from RM42 billion recorded last year, said chief executive officer Datuk Seri Jamil Bidin.

He said this would be supported by higher demand for local halal products, especially in the second half of 2017, due to the improving global economy.

“In terms of the export trend in the first six months of this year, normally it is slower but it will pick up by the end of the year, and I’m confident we will achieve the target,” he told Bernama.

Malaysia’s halal products exports amounted to RM39 billion in 2015.

Jamil said he observed that the country’s halal industry development had evolved not just through the export figures or the number of investments, but also via the adoption of Industry 4.0 or automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies.

Towards that end, he said HDC would partner with various agencies to produce new innovation that would benefit the industry.

“We see a lot of potential, particularly in the halal ingredients segment which is still in its infancy… and we also see the need to increase the number of experts in this segment,” he said.

Jamil cited one development in the pharmaceuticals segment, whereby a Saudi Arabian company had agreed to invest RM500 million to develop a vaccine facility in Bandar Enstek in Negeri Sembilan.

“The company is currently working on three vaccines and at the same time, it also took over a vaccine facility in Denmark which produces poliovirus vaccine. The company plans to make this vaccine halal and market it here,” he said.

Since its establishment in 2006, HDC has been the focal point to coordinate and facilitate the overall development and promotion of the halal industry in Malaysia in concert with various governmental agencies to significantly transform the halal landscape.