Halal food industry has potential in Sabah — Nasir

KOTA KINABALU: With the world’s Muslim population expected to rise to 8.3 billion in 2030, the halal food industry provides vast opportunities for local entrepreneurs in the state, says Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran.

“But with the annual population growth rate of Muslims in the world estimated at 2.2 per cent, this figure could be reached earlier,” he said in his speech at the launch of the Sabah International Halal Showcase 2012 at IBorneo near here yesterday.

The speech was read out by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Nasrun Datu Mansur.

Nasir said unofficial figures put the halal food market at RM2.3 trillion globally and RM190 billion a year in the country.

“Many are skeptical of the figure, but if every one of the 17 million Muslims in Malaysia spends RM10 a day on food, the market would already be worth over RM60 billion a year.

“This does not include the food consumed by tourists, industry and the like, so RM190 billion a year seems reasonable,” he said.

Muslim countries, he said, should take advantage of the huge global halal food market but it has not been exploited by local entrepreneurs in this country, or more specifically Muslim Bumiputeras, although more of them are becoming involved in this sector.

The government is targeting Indonesia with 182 million Muslims and South Asia, comprising Pakistan, India and Bangladesh with a combined Muslim population of 369 million, he added.

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