Malaysia ready market for shelled peas

EXPORT promotion body, ZimTrade says Zimbabwean farmers should take advantage of the opportunities available to supply fresh peas into the South-East Asian market.

Malaysia is ranked 11th in the world on imports of shelled peas after the United States, Europe member states and Vietnam. ThemajorsuppliersofpeastoMalaysia in 2016 were China, United States and the United Kingdom.

The country continues to seek alternative source markets to ensure a continued supply for its consumers. According to the Trade Map, Malaysian imports of fresh peas rose by 29 percent from $5 975 000 in 2014 to $7 684 000 in 2016.

Malaysia imports peas for consumption as a vegetable and for its growing food processing industry. Increasing consumer awareness in nutrition value for healthcare has also created a demand for organic vegetables, a trend on the increase globally.

ZimTrade said that diversifying to the Malaysian market offers producers an opportunity to increase production as they penetrate the South-East Asian market. “Malaysian market requirements for fresh produce are similar to those of the European Union market. There is, therefore, need for exporters to ensure their products meet requirements under certifications such as Global GAP,” said ZimTrade in an update.

These certifications focus on traceability and packaging standards which ensure products are competitive enough to enter the Malaysian market. “Zimbabwean exporters have an added advantage as they are already supplying European retailers such as Tesco and Sainsburys who are also represented in the Malaysian market, hence quality expectations are understood.”