Jennee Grace U Rubrico
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
THE Bimp-Eaga sub-regional grouping is poised to take a bite out of the trillion-dollar global halal food market, a ranking official of one of its member-countries said.
In a talk with reporters yesterday, Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar V Purisima said that the halal food market presents an opportunity for the sub-region, which counts as its members Brunei Darussalam as well as provinces and states in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The Halal Journal estimates that halal food currently accounts for approximately one-fifth of world food trade, and values the industry segment at US$1.2 trillion ($1.5 trillion) as of 2010. The trade publication which focuses on the halal market also states that the industry segment grows by US$500 million annually.
"Individually, we already supply halal food to the market, but not as Bimp-Eaga. Tapping the market as Bimp-Eaga with a Bimp-Eaga halal certification with a Bimp-Eaga brand is something we should start looking at because these are the key blocks to make sure that the Asean integration happens," said Purisima, who was in the Sultanate to attend the 65th birthday celebrations of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
He said that during Haj, Saudi Arabia alone needs to feed millions of pilgrims for a month. In 2010, 2.8 million pilgrims were estimated to have taken part in the Haj.
"Just for the needs of this Haj, we can target that as a major opportunity. We can collaborate. It can be the land of the Philippines, it can be the money and technology of Brunei, it can be cooperation with the Malaysian and Indonesian companies, and maybe also some of the areas in Malaysia and Indonesia," he said.
"If we reach out to the market, in Saudi Arabia, and partner with them as support for the region and give us some preferential access to the market so long as were competitive, that would be good."
He also said that members of the sub-regional grouping can even "specialise" in the types of food to produce, with areas designated as Bimp-Eaga centres for chicken, corn, fish, prawns, beef and other food products.
"When you look at it, we should even reach out to New Zealand and Australia. They have so much of the lamb and cattle. We can bring them here, process them here because it's cheaper, and certify it," he said.
For this to happen, the growth area needs to build the infrastructure that would facilitate trade, Purisima said.
"The key there is making sure that we build the infrastructure: the ports, the seaports, the cold chain, the processing facilities," he said.
Meanwhile, Purisima also said that on a country-to-country basis, the Philippines could tap Brunei's know-how on halal certification.
"The Brunei halal food brand is recognised worldwide and we'd like to work with the Brunei halal food authority to make sure that we improve our halal certifying bodies in the Philippines and maybe have a joint project," he said.
The Bimp-Eaga comprises Brunei; Kalimantan and Sulawesi in Indonesia; the federal states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the federal territory of Labuan in Eastern Malaysia; and the islands of Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.
The Brunei Times
In a talk with reporters yesterday, Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar V Purisima said that the halal food market presents an opportunity for the sub-region, which counts as its members Brunei Darussalam as well as provinces and states in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The Halal Journal estimates that halal food currently accounts for approximately one-fifth of world food trade, and values the industry segment at US$1.2 trillion ($1.5 trillion) as of 2010. The trade publication which focuses on the halal market also states that the industry segment grows by US$500 million annually.
"Individually, we already supply halal food to the market, but not as Bimp-Eaga. Tapping the market as Bimp-Eaga with a Bimp-Eaga halal certification with a Bimp-Eaga brand is something we should start looking at because these are the key blocks to make sure that the Asean integration happens," said Purisima, who was in the Sultanate to attend the 65th birthday celebrations of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
He said that during Haj, Saudi Arabia alone needs to feed millions of pilgrims for a month. In 2010, 2.8 million pilgrims were estimated to have taken part in the Haj.
"Just for the needs of this Haj, we can target that as a major opportunity. We can collaborate. It can be the land of the Philippines, it can be the money and technology of Brunei, it can be cooperation with the Malaysian and Indonesian companies, and maybe also some of the areas in Malaysia and Indonesia," he said.
"If we reach out to the market, in Saudi Arabia, and partner with them as support for the region and give us some preferential access to the market so long as were competitive, that would be good."
He also said that members of the sub-regional grouping can even "specialise" in the types of food to produce, with areas designated as Bimp-Eaga centres for chicken, corn, fish, prawns, beef and other food products.
"When you look at it, we should even reach out to New Zealand and Australia. They have so much of the lamb and cattle. We can bring them here, process them here because it's cheaper, and certify it," he said.
For this to happen, the growth area needs to build the infrastructure that would facilitate trade, Purisima said.
"The key there is making sure that we build the infrastructure: the ports, the seaports, the cold chain, the processing facilities," he said.
Meanwhile, Purisima also said that on a country-to-country basis, the Philippines could tap Brunei's know-how on halal certification.
"The Brunei halal food brand is recognised worldwide and we'd like to work with the Brunei halal food authority to make sure that we improve our halal certifying bodies in the Philippines and maybe have a joint project," he said.
The Bimp-Eaga comprises Brunei; Kalimantan and Sulawesi in Indonesia; the federal states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the federal territory of Labuan in Eastern Malaysia; and the islands of Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.
The Brunei Times
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