First fully virtual Mihas generates big returns

Parking space at the Matrade building in Jalan Duta is seen not crowded after some of the government staffs and private employees are allowed to working from home during the conditional movement control order. —AZMAN GHANI/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The first fully virtual Malaysia International Halal Showcase (Mihas) 2021 has generated a total of RM2.13bil in export sales.

Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chief executive officer Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz said export sales comprised of RM1.38bil sales recorded by exhibitors and RM749.1mil from Malaysian companies who participated in the International Sourcing Programmes (INSP).

“The virtual INSP is a business-matching programme in which Matrade’s 46 overseas-based offices match-make Malaysian exporters with potential international buyers,” he said in a statement yesterday..

Mihas, which had been held from Sept 9 to Dec 31, 2021, further highlighted its robustness as the global avenue to the ever-growing halal economy. Malaysian exhibitors accounted for RM562mil in total sales, while foreign exhibitors reported encouraging sales with Indonesia leading with the highest sales totalling RM403.4mil, followed by the Philippines (RM199.3mil), Vietnam (RM103.8mil), Pakistan (RM36.0mil), and Brazil (RM13.2mil).

Islamic Financial Services (RM380.9mil, 27.6%) recorded the highest total sales among the 12 key clusters that Mihas 2021 focused on, followed by beverages (RM329.6mil, 23.9%), processed food (RM150.6mil, 10.9%), pharmaceutical, toiletries and cosmetics (RM138.0mil, 10.0%). — Bernama

, and agricultural produce (RM106.7mil, 7.7%).

Moving forward, Mustafa said Matrade encouraged Malaysian companies to leverage on its 286 exporter development and export promotion programmes planned in 2022.

“Matrade would continue to establish strategic collaborations with various public and private sectors in implementing export-based programmes in order to create more export opportunities,” he said. - Bernama