KUALA LUMPUR: Local entrepreneurs must seize the chance to showcase themselves and their products to the world amid the booming global halal industry.
Deputy Prime Minister and Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the entrepreneurs must be brave to bank on their unique identities and explore untapped markets.
"The opportunities in the halal industry are always wide open as global trade is forecast to hit RM22.34 trillion until 2030 with an estimated Muslim population of 1.6 billion.
"The Malaysian domestic halal market value is expected to rise to RM400 billion and simultaneously contribute 11 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product by 2030.
"Under the 12th Malaysia Plan, the halal industry was identified as a strategic, high impact sector that will increase the nation's capacity and ability in workforce development, steer industrial progress and heighten product competitiveness and make Malaysia a global halal hub," he said today.
Zahid, who is Malaysia Halal Council chairman, said this at the rebranding ceremony of the Mara Food Industry Complex to Mara Halal Industrial Park (MHI Park).
Also present was Zahid's ministerial deputy Datuk Rubiah Wang.
Zahid said through halal industry development programmes by Mara, a total of 12,500 entrepreneurs benefitted from training, enhancement grants, business financing and rental of premises last year.
"These entrepreneurs generated annual sales of over RM2 billion and created more than 15,000 job opportunities.
"This shows that Mara, which boasts a holistic entrepreneurial ecosystem is the driving force and plays a vital role in entrepreneurial development, especially in the halal industry," he said.