| Halal Health |
august-september, 2020 | The Health
15
The concept of
Halalan Toyyiban
for Fonterra Brands
starts from animal
welfare. It is about
the types of food
we feed the cows
and giving them a
good rest as that
is also a part of the
Halalan Toyyiban.
The process goes
beyond what can and
cannot be added, and
good manufacturing
practices and hygiene
practices.”
Forty per cent of its products are
exported to 13 countries in the region.
“The concept of Halalan Toyyiban
is implied by Fonterra through
Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), Good
Nutrition and Stringent Food Safety
Practices and Good Governance –
complying with the halal regulations
and Malaysian standards.
“Each measure of production taken
from farm, transportation and storage,
manufacturing to export submits to
Halalan Toyyiban.
“To position Malaysia as a halal hub,
Fonterra contributes by putting its
dairy products on board and shipped to
other countries.
Malaysia has also recognised
foreign halal certification bodies
and authorities in many countries,
including the Federation of Islamic
Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ)
and New Zealand Islamic Development
Trust (NZIDT).
The overall global halal industry,
which includes pharmaceuticals, herbal
products, cosmetics, healthcare, FMCGs,
Islamic investment, banking, tourism,
and insurances, is estimated to be at
US$2,3 tril (RM7.59 tril).
According to the Halal Industry
Development Corporation (HDC), the
market value is expected to reach
US$147.4b (RM614.36b) by 2025.
All in all, Fonterra Brand is
committed to meet the halal standards
and assure their dairy products comply
with HalalanToyyiban from grass to
glass. — The Health
Malaysia’s
food safety
and quality
recognised
BY KHIRTINI K KUMARAN
Malaysian consumers are well
educated in understanding the
importance of food security and
safety and quality of products.
“Maintaining high standards
is crucial to maintain the trust of
consumers,” said Simon Hearsey, New
Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s (NZTE)
Trade Commissioner to Malaysia and
Brunei.
This has led to New Zealand, one of
the world’s leading dairy producers
and exporters, recognising the
importance of Malaysia from the
export and halal market perspective.
Malaysia is one of New Zealand’s
fastest-growing export markets
and one of its top 10 largest trading
partners.
New Zealand has some of the
strictest product sanitary standards
and food production standards in the
world.
“That’s something we are
particularly proud of, and that’s
something we don’t simply
compromise on,” he told The Health.
The Ministry of Primary Industries
(MPI) in New Zealand is the
regulatory body, which ensures that
the high standards are maintained.
In 2015, Malaysia was New
Zealand’s fourth single largest export
destination for milk powder, behind
China, the UAE and Algeria. Two free
trade agreements underpin the trade
relationship between New Zealand
and Malaysia; the Malaysia NZ Free
Trade Agreement (MNZFTA) and the
ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free
Trade Agreement (AANZFTA).
According to Hearsey, since
MNZFTA came into force in 2010,
two-way trade has increased
Simon Hearsey said maintaining high standards is crucial to maintain the trust of
consumers.
by 57 per cent.
“When we look at the export
market, that is Malaysia for New
Zealand, food and beverage (F&B) is
80 per cent of the goods New Zealand
exports to Malaysia.”
Meanwhile, dairy is New Zealand’s
largest export category to Malaysia,
comprising nearly 60 per cent of the
total value of New Zealand goods
export to Malaysia.
Since 2009, New Zealand’s dairy
exports to Malaysia have grown by 55
per cent in value terms from US$222
million in 2009 to US$391 million in
2015.
Milk powder comprised over 70
per cent of New Zealand’s total dairy
exports to Malaysia, and it has grown
by 38 per cent in value terms from
US$178 million in 2009 to US$281
million in 2015.
“Malaysia is an important market
for us,” Hearsey said.
Apart from the growing dairy
export market in Malaysia, New
Zealand also acknowledges the
potential in the halal market. As such,
they have established a framework
associated with their halal
certification and products.
“I think there is some significant
synergy that New Zealand recognizes
with Malaysia and particularly
with the fact that Malaysia has the
absolute aspiration to become the
global halal hub. That’s a fabulous
ambition and something New
Zealand recognizes.”
In the context of halal, the MPI
also regulates the New Zealand
Halal Export Assurance System.
There are two halal certifying bodies
within New Zealand, which is the
New Zealand Islamic Development
Trust (NZIDT) and The Federation of
Islamic Associations of New Zealand
(FIANZ).
These two halal certifying bodies
help New Zealand exporters with
their compliance with the halal
standards and framework that have
been put in place by MPI and help
New Zealand companies adhere to
those standards.
Hearsey also shared that both
NZIDT and FIANZ work alongside MPI
and Malaysia’s Department of Islamic
Development (JAKIM) to ensure that
all the halal certifying products meet
the necessary standards set by JAKIM.
“We have an excellent working
relationship with JAKIM,” he said,
adding that the relationship is
founded on delivering the quality and
assurance.
Hearsey added: “New Zealand
exporters see the alignment with the
Malaysian halal system as providing
an opportunity that they can take
products globally because of the
recognition of the Malaysian halal
system.”
New Zealand is the world’s eight
largest dairy producer and exports 95
per cent of the milk it produces each
year. Approximately three per cent of
the world’s milk is produced in New
Zealand. It also has one of the most
stringent regulatory standards in the
world for 4.8 million cows to produce
20 billion litres of milk annually.
NZTE is a government agency
charged with helping New Zealand
businesses to grow internationally.
“NZTE works with all of the
exporting companies. Approximately
100 companies are very active in the
exporting business, and about 25
companies are invested in the dairy
export market,” said Hearsey. — The
Health