Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

Dr. TanDY

South Australia keen on halal food partnerships

Source: Business Times (NST)

April 25 2006

SOUTH Australia is keen to partner Malaysian firms in halal food production, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said.

Deputy Premier of South Australia Kevin Foley, who is also the State Treasurer and Minister of Trade and Industry, met up with Rafidah in Parliament yesterday to discuss extending bilateral economic ties.

Foley has brought eight defense-related firms to showcase their products and services in Malaysia.

It is good that Malaysia and Australia can continue to build on to what is currently the strong and powerful economic relationship.

"There are many sectors we can work with, for example, in defense, food production especially halal food, technology and education," he told the media after the meeting yesterday.

On food production, given that Australia is a big producer of basic resources like wheat and beef and Malaysia is well-known as a halal hub, it will be a win-win situation for both countries to expand the export ties further, Rafidah said.

"We can source the material, like wheat and cattle, from them and we can produce downstream products in our country.

"If the food is halal, then we will use Malaysia's halal standards and certification on them and export them to Islamic countries," Rafidah said.

Such ventures are already happening but Rafidah is aiming for bigger scale ventures, now that the ban on Australian beef has been lifted last month.

She will visit Adelaide, Australia, in August to select suitable parties for Malaysian firms to partner.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had said the import of beef from the country would resume this month.

However, Muhyiddin was reported to have said only five slaughter houses were approved by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to export 30,000 metric tonnes of beef to Malaysia this year.

Jakim would also station its officers in Australia to monitor the slaughter houses to avoid any ambiguity on the halal status of the beef.

Malaysia is the biggest importer of Australian beef with 32,870 metric tonnes valued at RM43.5 million imported last year and 63,540 metric tonnes valued at RM58.5 million in 2004.