KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — More than 470 international buyers from 40 countries will be participating in the flagship International Sourcing Programme (INSP) at the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2023.
Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz said the higher number of international buyers — up from 389 last year — proves that the international showcase is a trusted platform for the sourcing of high-quality halal products and services.
“This opens up new export opportunities for Malaysian companies, particularly small and medium businesses, to conveniently link with serious foreign buyers,” he said.
The flagship International Sourcing Programme at MIHAS comprises pre-arranged one-to-one business meetings, both physical and virtual, which connect international buyers with Malaysian suppliers of halal products and services.
The physical International Sourcing Programme will be held on Sept 11 at Menara Matrade in Kuala Lumpur, while the virtual International Sourcing Programme would be held online from March 20 until Nov 30.
The buyers are from the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, the Americas and Africa.
Mohd Mustafa said Malaysian companies can look forward to connecting with 11 premium buyers from Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Qatar, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. The buyers represent some of the largest conglomerates, retailers and supermarkets in these countries.
“The participating international buyers at INSP MIHAS this year are keen to source products from the halal sectors such as food and beverage, e-commerce, education, retail and franchise as well as modest fashion and lifestyle.”
Last year, the MIHAS International Sourcing Programme connected 510 Malaysian companies with 389 international buyers, generating deals worth RM745.20 million for Malaysian exporters.
“We expect an equally successful programme this year,” Mohd Mustafa said.
MIHAS, hosted by the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, is the world’s largest showcase dedicated for the halal industry. This year’s MIHAS —the 19th edition of the series — will take place from Sept 12 to 15 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
— Bernama
