Halal food products represent future for Thailand's manufacturers
or those complying with Islamic rules, could dominate an $80
billion world market within one year, if the government and private
sector worked together to boost exports.
Thailand's Central Islamic Committee said that halal food products, or those complying with Islamic rules, could dominate an $80 billion world market within one year, if the government and private sector worked together to boost exports, reported Bangkok newspaper Business Day.
Islamic committee Halal Activity Chairman Phaisal Phromyong is said to view the market as a promising one, recognising the financial help from the government for the development of food production systems as an important benefit.
Phaisal said: "Several educational institutions have already launched development and training programmes for halal foods." He added that Thai Halal food currently accounts for less than four per cent of the world market because the country is not prepared to compete in international markets and because of fierce competition from giant food producers like China, which is also interested in the multi-billion dollar industry.
"Malaysia is not considered a major rival since it currently uses raw materials from Thailand," Phaisal noted.
Phaisal also claimed that given full support from the government, Thailand could become the world's biggest Halal food exporter by 2004.
However, deputy director general of the Export Promotion Department Songchai Saisawatevaree said that Thai Halal food exports were worth $ 6.3 billion last year, a small sector of the $80 billion market.
According to Songchai, the major markets for Thai Halal foods are Singapore (for re-export), Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. "The new potential export market is Africa which has the world's second largest Muslim population after Asia," he said.
There are currently more than 600 local Halal food manufacturers in the application process for a Halal seal of approval from the Central Islamic Committee. Thirty per cent of them are new companies.
The Islamic committee has also appointed 250 Halal food inspectors to inspect the food processing plants that have already been granted the Halal approval in order to ensure that these plants comply with the Islamic food law.
