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Last Updated: Jun 25th, 2007 - 17:07:26 |
The Port of Rotterdam expects its new warehouse in Netherlands, which would facilitate the storage and distribution of halal products, to be operational next year, Rotterdam City's vice-mayor, Roelf de Boer said.
He said that the warehouse, currently under construction, would also function as an European Halal Distribution Centre.
The port's authority is collaborating with Hecny Group and Vat Logistics from the Netherlands to develop the 13 million euro (RM4.67=One Euro) warehouse, de Boer told Bernama yesterday.
de Boer, who has been here since November 13 to promote the Port of Rotterdam, was accompanied by the authorities of the port.
"We have realised a dedicated warehouse for halal products at the port and are now looking to partner exporters from Malaysia to export halal products to European markets," he said.
de Boer said that Rotterdam could serve as a European halal gateway as the halal market was a high-potential sector not just in terms of size but also with the growing demand for halal products.
Rotterdam, the only port in Europe with halal certification, hopes to tap into the Muslim markets as well as the non-Muslim segments as the halal products have certain standards and fulfill the requirements needed.
He said that about 30 million Muslims live in Europe, of which one million in the Netherlands.
"The demand for halal products continue to grow whether at home, work, hotels or restaurants. They (consumers) choose meals that conform to their dietary restrictions, on religious basis," de Boer said.
In the Netherlands alone, annual consumption of halal meat stood at approximately 100,000 tonnes, he said.
He added that this uptrend in demand for halal products could also be seen from the increased requests for such products in supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, institutions and the catering trade.
Rotterdam is also Europe's most important port for oil & chemicals, containers, iron ore, coal, food and metals.
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