KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) remained a key platform for global halal players to converge and trade following the success of its 17th edition of the virtual event.
The halal showcase, with a participation of 549 exhibitors, received over 8,500 virtual visitors comprising local and international companies, generating total sales of RM985.3 million in the first four days.
MIHAS 2021 is hosted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), which started on 9 September and will end on 31 December 2021.
MATRADE chief executive officer Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz said Malaysian exhibitors reported sales amounting to RM341.1 million during the first days of the virtual showcase.
“The creation of market opportunities for domestic halal players are part of Matrade’s effort in supporting the nation’s economic recovery,” he said in a statement today.
The products and sectors that were much in demand from the buyers clearly reflected the 12 sectors that MIHAS 2021 is promoting this year, namely halal food, education, pharmaceuticals, services and enablers, franchises, modest fashion, Islamic finance,halal cosmetics, media and recreation, Muslim-friendly tourism, e-commerce and food technology.
For the first four days of MIHAS 2021, sectors that recorded the highest total sales were Islamic financial services at RM380.9 million with 38.7 per cent of the total share, beverages at RM217.5 million or 22.1 per cent share, pharmaceutical, toiletries and cosmetics at RM123.2 million or 12.5 per cent share, prepared food at RM80.0 million or 8.1 per cent share, and palm oil products at RM57.1 million or 5.8 per cent share.
Mohd Mustafa also highlighted that the total sales generated by MIHAS 2021 thus far amounts to RM1.6 billion after incorporating sales from the ongoing virtual exhibition and the International Sourcing Programme (INSP) sales.
The INSP, one of the flagship components of MIHAS, is a demand-driven business-to-business (B2B) business matching programme for Malaysian exporters that was organised by MATRADE and its 46 offices worldwide since April this year a run-up to MIHAS 2021.
Mohd Mustafa said MIHAS has clearly made a strong comeback despite two years of absence and being presented for the first time through a virtual format.
“Although there were initial concerns if the industry will react positively to the virtual format, to our pleasant surprise, the response has been overwhelming.
“For example, apart from the sales that MIHAS 2021 has generated, it also secured 549 virtual booths compared to the target of 500 booths,” he said.
MIHAS 2021 also saw an increase in the number of participation from international companies, highlighting the trust among the global business community towards the trade fair.
Through the virtual platform, the exhibitors from 43 different countries, including first-time participants from, among others, Mexico, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and Colombia, were able to engage with buyers from various different countries throughout different time zones at all hours.
“MIHAS 2021 managed to attract global halal players to visit and transact on the platform as it was developed in a holistic manner incorporating various components such as the 12 different industry zones and knowledge-hub sharing sessions, as well as the support from MATRADE’s 46 global offices.
“We are confident that the 18th edition of MIHAS event next year will be on a bigger scale with commitment for continued synergy between physical and virtual format to reach out to more halal industry players,” he said.
There was also strong interest in the topics promoted under the knowledge-hub component of MIHAS 2021, as over 1,000 viewers from around the world congregated virtually in these thought-provoking dialogues from 10 to 12 September 2021.
Sessions that were promoted by the knowledge hub programme included those covering Islamic financing, innovation and business sustainability, digital technologies and the role of women entrepreneurs and perspectives from the youth in the halal economy.
Prominent speakers featured in the knowledge hub session included Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) director-general Datuk
Abdul Latif Abu Seman and Bank Negara Malaysia shariah advisory council chairman and founder and executive chairman of Amanie Group Datuk Dr Mohd Daud Bakar.
Source: New Straits Times
