Filter: asia
PAKISTAN: ‘Pakistan can tap global Halal food market’
Pakistan can become a leading Halal food market and tap two billion consumers worldwide if it meets international standards. This was the key remark made by the speakers on the second day of an international conference titled “Emerging Issues in Food Safety” at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad on Tuesday. Dr Nadeem Riaz, Research Scientist & Director of the A&M University, Texas called for standardisation of hazard analysis and critical control points in the country to make food purely Halal.
PHILIPPINES: Government pressed to lure Saudi Arabia businessmen
A lawmaker representing a district in this city is pushing the government to pursue partnerships with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, particularly to help boost agricultural production in Mindanao. House Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Karlo B. Nograles (Davao City 1st district) said in a recent statement that the national government should take advantage of the fact that Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s leading Islamic nations and its influence “may hold the key to solving the region’s [sic] peace and order woes.” “I really believe that if we want foreign investments to come to Mindanao, Arab investments would definitely have the advantage because they are well regarded by our Muslim brothers,” Mr. Nograles said.
Filed Under: Trade & Investment
MALAYSIA: Halal industry should work with Islamic finance
Despite the Halal industry’s rapid growth, it is missing out on opportunities to tap into Islamic finance, panel members said. “There is a disconnect between the Halal industry and Islamic financing, which is ironic since we’re working within the same religion, but are not talking to each other,” said Thomson Reuters head of Islamic finance (Asia) Rafiza Ghazali at a discussion on “Halal Economy” during the Islamic Financial Intelligence Summit. She said in a study conducted by Reuters on 250 companies involved in Halal production and with a combined market capitalisation of US$132bil, it found that only 50% of them passed the Aofi test, which meant that they are not syariah-complaint. The Aofi test was a screening criteria used by Reuters to determine the syariah compliancy of stocks, she said.
Conventional, Islamic Finance Can Co-exist: Economists
Conventional and Islamic finance may co-operate or even compete to produce the best outcome for common projects such as the provision of cheap banking for the world's poor or for investment in environmental undertakings, say two eminent economists. Ajit Singh, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge, UK and Tan Sri Andrew Sheng, president of Hong Kong-based Fung Corporation, said at a public lecture here today that co-operation between these two systems is not only feasible but also desirable. The lecture, themed "Continuing a Legacy in Monetary and Financial Economics", was organised by The Tun Ismail Ali Chair, Universiti Malaya here.
MALAYSIA: Land of milk and recovery
The new Fraser and Neave (F&N) Holdings Berhad plant in Pulau Indah is expected to begin commercial production early next year. Located on a 37.4-acre site within the Selangor Halal Hub, the RM350 million plant would soon the group's current base in Section 13, Petaling Jaya. F&N chief executive officer Datuk Jordan Ng Jui Sia said the new plant would be producing four lines of canned milk and a line of sterilised milk for the domestic and Singapore markets. "The plant's initial planned capacity is 14 million cases of canned milk per annum, with over 1.5 million milk cans churned out daily," he said
Meat matters: Halal meat moot in December
An international conference on “Halal meat” will be held on December 14-15 in Lahore. Delegates from 16 countries are participating in the conference aimed at introducing Pakistani Halal products abroad. On the first day, researchers will present their papers while the second day has been allocated for field visits. Dr Hamid said PAMCO’s objective was to promote the Halal Industry by developing the Agriculture and Livestock sectors.
INDONESIA: MUI wary amid barrage of Chinese Halal food exports
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) confirms a sharp rise in Halal food products coming from China, but it remains sceptical over China’s Halal industry, which is presumed to still be in its developmental stages. “The number of Halal products from China has increased by 50 to 100 percent since last year,” MUI Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM) chief Lukmanul Hakim told The Jakarta Post. He said that some of China’s Halal food exports — which far exceeded those from Europe and the US — came from Ningxia, a province known for its Muslim Hui ethnicity.
INDONESIA: MUI remains alert amid China’s barrage of Halal products
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has confirmed a dramatic rise in the number of Halal food products coming in from China, but remained sceptical over that country’s developing Halal industry. “The number of Halal products from China has increased by 50 to 100 percent since last year,” the MUI’s Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM) chief Lukmanul Hakim told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. He said that some of China’s Halal food exports to Indonesia, which by far exceeded those from Europe and America, were products that came from Ningxia, a province known for its Muslim Hui ethnicity.
MALAYSIA: Thailand Lauds Malaysian Help For Its Flood Victims
Malaysia's concern and seriousness in sending aid for the Thai flood victims is lauded by the Thai government. Songkhla governor Vinyoo Thongsakul said drinking water and dry food items were needed by victims of floods which hit Ayuthaya and Bangkok since August and expected to last another month. "We are deeply touched by the help offered by Malaysians," he said when receiving three trailers of drinking water and Halal dry food at the Thai Army Fourth Division Headquarters (Circle 42).
Filed Under: Charity
MALAYSIA: Chile trade delegation visiting KL
A trade delegation of more than 15 Chilean firms led by the Chilean Export Promotion Bureau (ProChile) will be in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 10 and 11 to establish or expand business relations with Malaysian companies.These companies are part of the delegation to the two-day Flavours of Chile event, to be hosted by the ProChile and the Embassy of Chile in Malaysia.ProChile director Felix De Vicente, who will be heading the delegation, said in a statement the event would be an ideal occasion for Malaysian businessmen to discover Chile’s wide variety of high-quality products.