Growing interest creates bigger halal market in Growth Triangle

KANGAR: The increasing interest in halal products is set to give entrepreneurs a bigger market intheIndonesia-Malaysia-ThailandGrowth Triangle (IMT-GT) region, says Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu.

He urged bumiputra entrepreneurs to take advantage of the growing demand for halal products and work towards penetrating the international market.

The Mentri Besar said the current global market for halal products, worth RM6.9tril a year, would expand further with the increase in the world’s Muslim population to over 1.8 billion.

Halal products have also attracted the interest of non-Muslim nations such as China, Japan and Russia, he added.

“Though the success in venturing into the international market is an achievement, it is more meaningful if they can capture the market,” he said after opening a Mara-run halal centre at the Kuala Perlis Mara Industrial Area near here yesterday.

The centre is a joint effort by Mara and the Halal Industry Development Corporation.

Md Isa said the centre would serve as a catalyst to the industrial area in Kuala Perlis, which would be developed into a maritime town.

Earlier, Mara director-general Datuk Ibrahim Ahmad said bumiputra entrepreneurs would be given the opportunity to sell their halal products to a wider market through the centre.

He said some 60,000 entrepreneurs currently under Mara are to make a big impact in the halal industry.

In conjunction with the centre’s opening, KIMfest Kuala Perlis is being held for three days to market halal products by bumiputra entrepreneurs.