MLBA15: June / July 2010

 

Malaysia and Thailand: Halal partners than rivals?

 

 

Thailand nurtured the dream since its first shipment of cooked Halal chicken to the United Arab Emirates in 2007. Since that time, Thailand has secured its place as the world's fifth-largest Halal food exporter, controlling a 5.6% market share.

 

The global food imports of the Islamic world – often referred to as the Halal market - are estimated to be worth US$80 billion, about 12% of total trade in agri-food products. Other estimates put it at US$150-200 billion.

 

Thai Halal exports in 2008 were worth THB5.19 billion (US$159 million), up 53.3% from a year earlier. In the first seven months of 2009, however, exports dropped 26.9% to THB2.49 billion (US$76 million) on shrinking consumption due to the global recession. After last year's global recession, Thailand has intensified its export focus on Halal trade as a way of finding alternative markets.

 

During the last two years, Thailand shifted its focus to the Halal market. Its first big step was to make Bahrain its gateway to the oil-rich Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, which include, aside from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and the Sultanate of Oman.

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