HALAL foods will constitute one-third of the world’s marketplace in 10 years and exporters need to secure accreditation now to share in the demand, a Warragul forum heard on Friday.
Brian Norwood said while Australia’s Muslim population numbers around 500,000, there were much greater Muslim populations to Australia’s north.
He was addressing a forum attended by 30 people and organised by Agribusiness Gippsland and Export Gippsland.
An Agribusiness Gippsland director and halal consultant, he was joined by Adam Moore, whose Traralgon-based company has just signed a massive deal with Malaysia to supply organic baby food.
Mr Moore explained the process of accreditation (“it’s easier than gaining organic certification”).
He said there were many advantages in doing business with Malaysia.
“There’s a lot of commonality that makes it easy for us to deal with,” he said, listing a lack of tariffs due to the recent Free Trade Agreement, the use of English on packaging and a government keen to lift Malaysia to first-world status, such as Singapore, in 10 years.
He suggested companies intending to export foods undertake customer surveys to establish what the marketplace is seeking. Both he and Mr Norwood stressed the advantages in joining State Government export trade missions.
Agribusiness Gippsland and Mr Moore’s company, Baby Royale, were participants on the recent State Government trade mission to south-east Asia.
The next mission in October, will be visiting China.
