Read the full article here by BERNAMA: https://www.bernama.com/v2/en/news.php?id=1978308SUN Daily: https://www.thesundaily.my/…/malaysian-halal-players…
The NZ Malaysia Business Association Inc (NZMBA) was invited by the Waikato Business Chambers CEO, Don Good to attend Fieldays 2021 with other local dignitaries. The invitation, besides the close working relationship NZMBA and the Chamber has, is also to explore halal products for the intended halal expo at the same venue in 2022. There were more than 1000 exhibitors this year but not many were in the halal industry.
NZMBA President Dave Ananth, who is also Senior Tax Counsel with Stace Hammond Lawyers (NZMBA’s secretariat) also attended the event with Stace Hammond Lawyers: Patrick Wilson and Paul Connolly. According to Ananth, the opportunity for the halal market is enormous. Ananth said, “I saw one or two halal exhibitors but there are many other opportunities: plenty from agriculture, dairy, milk, goat, crafts, fertilizers, technology. NZ manufacturers need to explore other markets, we need to sell, that must be the strategy. If we can expand NZ exports to include a wider range of halal goods to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, why not? We must think outside the box”.
“This is an amazing opportunity for businesses to showcase their products. We are keen on the halal opportunities available in clean green, Covid free New Zealand. There are tremendous opportunities for the right investor. We are happy to look for local partners in the region to tie-up with overseas investors be they from Malaysia or the Middle East. We want an expo tent here in 2022 to showcase NZ’s halal exports. That’s our focus, he says”.
NZMBA’s international marketing director, Norfahreen Azfy who is based in both Dubai and NZ said, “I have never seen anything like this. This is real: farmers, fantastic products, very different from what I have seen in the Middle East. It’s an amazing atmosphere, I am so thrilled to be here. I can already foresee so many opportunities for the NZ market in the Middle East.”
Asmuni Saharil, a human resource company director, in alliance with the NZMBA team is excited about introducing NZ cattle and goat that have been specifically bred for tropical climates, to Malaysia and Indonesia through a local company. Asmuni aims to take this to FELDA and some Malaysian State governments to seek collaboration.
NZMBA will be jointly working with MYDC – Myfundaction NZ, an Islamic-based NZ Trust currently involved in a lot of charity work, to help NZ businesses expand their outreach to halal markets beyond theirown shores.
Waikato Chamber CEO Don Good said, “We at the Chambers are fully supportive of NZMBA. We look forward to the many collaborations with the halal industry in the Waikato region and Islamic countries. “There are halal skincare and perfume products based and manufactured in NZ, come to us and the NZMBA, and we will tie the knots, he says.”
NZMBAI 