News From : DagangHalal.com (11 Mar 2010)
PASIR PUTEH, March 11 (Bernama) — The Ministry of International Trade and Industry will take efforts to assist local small and medium sized industries (SMIs) to capture the exported SMI halal food product market of Middle East.
Its Deputy Minister, Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir, said while local SMI halal products have already penetrated the market and accepted by the Organisation of Islamic Conference member countries, they have not been able to meet the huge demand.
“At least they require one container (of products) for each delivery,” he told reporters at a get together session with religious teachers at a school here Thursday.
The failure to deliver instead has seen Thailand in the picture as it has many SMIs who have successfully adopted the requirements needed to supply the halal products in demand, he said.
“The demand (for food products) include that needed by pilgrims performing their Hajj at Mecca and Madinah during the Hajj season,” said Mukhriz, who is also the Member Parliament for Jerlun, Kedah.
He said Malaysia had a greater potential to market the products considering that more than 25,000 Muslims in the country performed their Hajj every year.
Expressing disappointment that the local SMIs could not meet the demand, he said his ministry will be taking measures to encourage SMIs to increase their production capacity as well as look into quality and more attractive packaging in order to compete in the market.
— BERNAMA