News From : DagangHalal.com (02 Aug 2009)
Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei is bracing for challenges in ensuring the success of the newly launched Brunei Halal brand as it counts on global partners and a plan to build an agro-technology park to improve the chances of the Sultanate’s fledgling drive for a piece of the US$600 billion ($865 billion) global market.
We hope to see more products for the Brunei Halal brand. But the challenges will remain. One of the speakers said that the market is a very important consideration. and its not just about producing it, hut having the capacity to produce it.” said Dato Paduka Mohd Hamid Hj Mohd Jaafar, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and cochairman of the organising committee for the International Halal Market Conference 2009. “That is also the idea to partner with distinguished companies like Kerry FSDA, to help us to achieve our objectives of bringing the Brunei Halal brand and the products in the most strategic and successful way.”
Kerry FSDA is the Hong Kong logistics firm that is part of Ghanim International Food Corporation. The joint venture which also includes Brunei Wafirah Holdings and Brunei Global Islamic Investment. Tasked to develop Brunei halal products.
Wafirah Holdings. a wholly government-owned company. is owner of the brand and grants the licence to Ghanim to manage. Market and promote the brand.
Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Harald said the challenges and competition will always be there and the government initiatives being put in place are hoped to work towards contributing to the success of Brunei’s halal agenda.
One of the key factors of the strategic plan is the Brunei Halal Agro Technology Park.
Asked about whether there is a specific product or sector which the Agro Tech Park is aiming for, the permanent secretary said that. “The market is something that everyone must pay attention to”.
He added, “Obviously the way that we package the Agro Technology Park is that it has the extra ingredient, which is ‘halal’, and we like to think that halal is considered a niche as a factor contributing to the competitive advantage.”
He said that the exact demand could be in pharmaceutical or services area that is halal-related. “For example, companies can use the Brunei Halal name for their pockets. And can decide to position their headquarters or part of their services structure in the park. They could also be manufacturing, and we have to be positioned in such a way that people will have every reason to move to Brunei, in particular the Agro Technology Park.” he said. “To sum it up, it is a challenge and it is up to us to provide the flexibility so that the investment will bring the return and response that we are looking for,” he said.
The International Halal Market Conference 2009 concluded yesterday and saw the launching of the Brunei Halal brand which will be used to market halal products locally and abroad.
Written by Debbie Too
— Courtesy of The Brunei Times