Kuala Lumpur: Touted as the world's largest Halal trade expo, the 15th Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) is expected to be held here on April 4-7 and is expected to attract global attention.

As a consumer market for Halal products, MIHAS first held its show in 2004 and has now grown into a highly anticipated annual professional trade event for the global Halal industry, elevating Malaysia to a global hub of the Islamic economy.

This year it will attract more than 1,000 exhibitors from over 40 countries. MIHAS, held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), is the world's most closely watched Halal trade expo, making it a cornerstone of global Halal trade.

In 2017, MIHAS gathered 576 exhibitors from 33 countries, with the largest numbers of exhibitors from China, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and the Philippines. Last year's total trade value contribution was RM1.1 billion.

According to Mohammed Aminuddin, head of the Halal, Food and Agriculture Sector at the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE): MIHAS's reputation and credibility strengthen the country's Halal brand, enabling locally produced Halal products and services to break into international markets. As the premier platform for Halal product trade, traders from around the world use MIHAS to source these products and services. Therefore, we tailor our trade themes, programs and methods to ensure MIHAS meets international standards and expectations and that Malaysia remains a global hub for the Halal industry.

Through its 46 offices around the world, MATRADE actively seeks potential trade buyers and engages them in the International Sourcing Programme (INSP), one of the main purposes of MIHAS.

The Geneva-based International Trade Centre (ITC) praised MIHAS's INSP initiative in its 2015 publication for bringing international buyers and local sellers together.

'We bring in buyers from around the world and match them with Malaysian companies across sectors. They keep coming back every year, seeking more choices and opportunities in the MIHAS cluster,'

Aminuddin added that about 4,400 stock-keeping units (SKUs) were sold during MIHAS 2017, a 17% increase compared with the previous year. An SKU is an alphanumeric identification code for a specific product that can be used for tracking for inventory purposes.

FAQ

What is the scale and status of the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS)?
MIHAS is touted as the world's largest Halal trade expo. It first held its show in 2004 and has now become a highly anticipated annual professional trade event for the global Halal industry, elevating Malaysia to a global hub of the Islamic economy. The 15th edition in 2018 attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors from over 40 countries; in 2017 it gathered 576 exhibitors from 33 countries (with China, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and the Philippines exhibiting most), contributing RM1.1 billion in total trade value.
How does MIHAS's International Sourcing Programme (INSP) work?
Through its 46 offices around the world, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) actively seeks potential trade buyers and engages them in INSP—matching buyers from around the world with Malaysian companies across sectors. The initiative was praised by the Geneva-based International Trade Centre (ITC) in its 2015 publication. About 4,400 stock-keeping units (SKUs) were sold during MIHAS 2017, a 17% increase year-on-year.