THE 14th edition of the World Halal Business Conference ( WHBC ), an annual industry forum organised by the Halal Development Corporation Berhad ( HDC ), an agency under the Ministery Of International Trade and Industry ( MITI ), gathered halal industry leaders to share , deliberate and network , as well as promote halal business opportunities to inspire wealth creation amongst the participants . With an exciting lineup of distinguished panellists from the government , industry players and experts , some hot topics were Food Security , Safety and Sustainability , Halal Ingredients Ecosystem , Halal Business Agility through Digitalisation , Halal Finance and Banking , Muslim Friendly Tourism and Halal Trade Connectivity .
In her keynote address , Consul General of Malaysia Marzita Marzuki said the combined roles Australia and Malaysia can play in strengthening the halal ecosystem in the post-pandemic economic reconstruction should be acknowledged and promoted .
“ Australia is our first destination for WHBC Circuit as it has a mature halal ecosystem and market with an established Australian Government Authorised Halal Programme ( AGAHP ),” said Mazita in Melbourne .
“ Halal also has an important role in economic recovery , despite the world currently beset by events that have led to fluctuating food and commodity prices with widespread ramifications to global supply chains .
“ Therefore , I would like to call on and urge global Halal industry stakeholders to work together and put Halal as one of the solutions which will help strengthen food security worldwide .”
For Australian businesses , WHBC Circuit Australia would be the perfect platform to get better acquainted with the industry , and to explore new export potentials prevalent within Malaysia ’ s vast halal ecosystem , which cuts across key sectors such as food , health , beauty , tourism , even financial services sector .
“ Australia is already one of the leading exporters of dairy products and meat to many Muslim countries , apart from Brazil , Argentina and India . This is evident as Malaysia is a major importer , with 71 per cent of our halal-certified meats coming from Australia ,” said Hairol Ariffien Sahari , Chief Executive Officer of HDC .
“ Australia is also one of our top exporters of Halal food and beverages , Halal ingredients , cosmetics , and personal care .
“ With such a commanding foothold , we believe that linking the Halal ecosystem between Malaysia and Australia would help support and expand a broader future for the business and social communities , to build networks , spur innovations and encourage new creations together .”
The halal food market is booming worldwide and appeals to non-Muslim groups too . Spending on halal food has increased by 6.9 per cent in 2021 to US $ 1.27 trillion from US $ 1.19 trillion in 2020 . It is expected
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Ridwaan Jadwat , First Assistant Secretary , Southeast Asia Division , Australia ’ s Special Envoy to the OIC , Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade . |
to grow by 7.0 per cent in 2022 and reach US $ 1.67 trillion in 2025 at a four-year cumulative annual growth rate of 7.1 per cent .
If this trend continues , the global Muslim market could grow to about US $ 5 trillion in 2022 . It shows that halal could be vital to the economy worldwide .
During the opening ceremony , Halal International Selangor announced strategic collaboration with the Victoria government towards Investment Opportunity at Selangor Halal Economic Zone on current and future development planning , valued at RM10 billion .
One important topic was the surge in e-commerce and digital technology , which directly impacted the global Covid-19 pandemic . Adopting marketing automation
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technologies powered by artificial intelligence ( AI ) makes it possible for businesses to leverage data at scale and raises the company ’ s efficiency in capturing bigger audiences for their business .
“ The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic has further spurred the acceptance of digital technology to communicate and conduct business virtually , making the world truly borderless . Tapping into this digital era is of utmost importance for all players in the Halal industry ,” said Hairol .
The participating companies included Duopharma Biotech , Ramly Burger , F & N , Malaysia Airlines and the Australian Halal Certifier ( Islamic Coordinating Council of Victoria ), and State representations Selangor , Sabah and Melaka .
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