International Halal conference in Kuala Lumpur

The ninth annual Malaysian International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) conference will be held in Kuala Lumpur from April 4 to 7, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama announced.

MIHAS 2012 is expected to host over 600 exhibition booths featuring shari’ah compliant goods across a wide range of industries including cosmetics, banking and health care.

Sri Lankan organizations involved in cosmetics, toiletries, herbal products, energy drinks, medication and food items that are certified Halal by the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama can also participate.

Hailed as “the world’s largest halal trade fair”, the conference has attracted over 32,000 visitors in its past years and over US $ 800 million was traded.

Although initially serving as a platform for traders in the ASEAN region, MIHAS has grown into a renowned international event with attendees from more than 80 countries worldwide.

The conference provides visitors with an excellent opportunity for the showcasing of innovative products and services and the chance to meet pioneers in the fast-growing halal industry across a range of sectors.

The global halal products market is a lucrative one, estimated to be worth 2.3 trillion US $, 67% of which comes from the food, cosmetics and beverage sector alone. The increasing interest in the halal industry has the MIHAS Secretariat predicting that the only trouble ahead of the halal market is not the perceived shortage in demand, but rather the shortage in supply. Although Malaysia, a primarily Muslim country is host to the conference the fast-growing international halal industry has attracted the attention of many non-Muslim countries as well. Thailand (95% Buddhist)is the fifth largest halal food exporter in the world amassing an estimated 10 billion baht (36.2 billion Rs) annually.

In addition to this, Thailand is also home to the first dedicated halal science institution in the world. The Halal Science Centre, part of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok is an institute solely dedicated to standardizing and uplifting the quality of Thai halal foods ensuring it is of a certifiable export standard.

Beyond the obvious economic gains of the halal industry, the tourism industry can also greatly benefit from more shari’ah compliant offerings. Countries such as Australia and Thailand sell themselves to potential Arab tourists promising halal-friendly holidays including Muslim facilities, restaurants and hotels. Arabs spend an astounding 12 billion US $ on holidays annually, and by following the lead of other countries, Sri Lanka too has the potential to become a popular tourist destination which will similarly reap economic benefits.