MIHAS 2017 Chalks Up Total Sales Of US$228.93 Million

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- The 14th Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS 2017), from April 5-8, chalked up total sales of US$228.93 million (RM1.01 billion) compared with the US$258.36 million (RM1.14 billion) registered last year. In a statement Thursday, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) said sales were from two main components, namely the exhibition and the International Sourcing Programme (INSP). It also said the exhibition component recorded sales of RM709 million, an increase of 6.8 per cent from RM664 million in 2016. "The INSP, meanwhile, posted sales of RM300 million from RM479 million in 2016," it added. MATRADE, the national trade promotion agency said the INSP, a business matching programme, attracted more than 165 prospective foreign buyers from 44 countries. "More than 2,000 pre-arranged business meetings were organised between the international and 418 Malaysian companies during the event," it said. Among the countries with the highest export sales by Malaysian companies was China with sales at RM70.3 million or accounting for 23.5 per cent of the total figure. This was followed by Sri Lanka (RM58.5 million or 19.6 per cent), Thailand (RM28 million or 9.4 per cent ), Taiwan (RM32.6 million or 7.83 per cent) and the United Arab Emirates (RM4.43 million or 6.88 per cent). Apart from receiving 22,744 local and international visitors, MATRADE said the four-day fair also saw the participation of eight foreign trade delegations. It included Thailand's Federation of Halal Entrepreneurs of Five Southern Border Provinces, Bio and Pharmaceuticals Industries Promotion Office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan, and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cote D’ivoire. The 15th edition of MIHAS will be held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre from April 4-7, 2018. (US$1 = RM4.41) --BERNAMA