Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) jointly organised a seminar titled Designing and Safety Requirements to Sell Furniture, Toys and Electrical Products in the United States of America (USA) to help enhance Malaysian companies' understanding on designing and safety requirements set by CPSC before they could sell their products in the American market.

The seminar, which took place today at Menara MATRADE, was a continuity of CPSC's partnership with MATRADE last year through a similar seminar that was focused on only the furniture industry. This year, the scope of the seminar has been widened to benefit more industry players in Malaysia. The seminar gathered 80 participants who comprised local exporting companies and prospective exporters in the furniture, toys and electrical products segment.

Among the topics highlighted at the seminar were on key procedural requirements, third party testing, certification and standards, technical regulations and consumer product safety requirements. The talks were given by Mr Jake Miller and Ms Tilven M.Bernal from CPSC.

The USA is one of the major markets for Malaysia's exports of furniture, electrical & electronics consumer and toys. In 2016, furniture exports to the US rose by 8.9 percent to reach RM3.09 billion, accounting for 32% of Malaysia's total furniture exports that stood at RM9.53 billion and grew by 4.2%. Exports of toys to the USA grew 21% to record RM225.6 million, accounting for 33% of Malaysia's total exports of toys (RM 693.50 million) which have risen by 10%. Meanwhile, exports of electrical & electronics consumer products to the US in 2016 have declined by 6.8% to reach RM3.69 billion or (7.9% of Malaysia's total exports of electrical & electronics consumer products). The decline in exports of electrical products to the US was due to slower demand for such products as vacuum cleaners self-contained electric motor and radio broadcast receivers.

MATRADE as Malaysia's trade promotion agency encourages Malaysian companies to equip themselves with the knowledge on market entry requirements to ensure the success of their export plans. The local industry players may engage with MATRADE to seek trade advisory prior to entering a foreign market such as the US, especially because each market around the world imposes different sets of rules and regulations.

As an agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, MATRADE offers various trade advisory to Malaysian companies, particularly the Small and Medium Enterprises that make up around 97 per cent of Malaysia's business establishments. MATRADE's advisory services are free for Malaysian companies and can greatly help Malaysian companies to become global champions. Local companies in the furniture, toys and electrical products sector keen to explore the US market can contact MATRADE's offices in New York, Los Angeles and Miami at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or they could email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details.

SATURDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2017, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's very own Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) is all set to return for its 14th edition at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The event will take place from 5 to 8 April 2017 and is organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), the country's trade promotion agency.

The world-renowned event aims to promote Malaysia's Halal sector and is under the patronage of Ministry of International Trade and Industry. MIHAS 2017 will highlight segments within the global Halal industry supply chain such as Halal food & beverages products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and machinery, among others. This year, a segment on services sector, particularly on financial services, halal logistics, e-commerce and tourism will also be introduced.

Complementing MIHAS 2017 will be the inaugural Malaysia International Islamic Lifestyle Exhibition (MILE), an event organised in parallel with MIHAS to promote Islamic lifestyle products. The MILE aims to promote clusters such as modest fashion, Islamic education & literature, Islamic arts, IT & multimedia, jewellery and ornaments as well as social & community development.

In efforts to intensify business deals during the event, MATRADE will be adding value to its signature business matching initiative called International Sourcing Programme (INSP) by potentially organising site visits to highlight Malaysian companies' operations to foreign buyers, apart from coordinating business meetings for the participants. This added value is intended to influence business decisions among the potential foreign buyers who are matched with the local suppliers and improve the rapport between these industry players, for long-term benefits. Last year, MIHAS generated total sales of RM.1.14 billion - an increase of four per cent from 2015 – from both the exhibition and INSP sales.

According to MATRADE's Chief Executive Officer Ir Dr Mohd Shahreen Zainooreen Madros MIHAS is a key annual event for Malaysia as it has the capability to strengthen the country's position as a global hub for Islamic economy. "Malaysia's conducive Islamic economic landscape is exemplary to many nations, resulted in MIHAS' strong positioning around the world. MIHAS is also a testament to the Government's effort to promote and market Malaysian companies Halal products and services to the world, without the local companies having to travel overseas," Dr Mohd Shahreen said.

MIHAS 2017 will host 633 exhibitors from over 30 countries and among the countries taking part in MIHAS this year are ASEAN member countries, Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, Palestine, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, just to name a few. Last year, 543 companies from 29 countries participated in the event and the event welcomed more than 22,000 visitors. This year the number of visitors is targeted to reach 25,000 people. The visitors comprise trade visitors from local and international organisations, associations, foreign delegations and others.

The Halal industry is gaining strong momentum for the past decade and much of this robust growth is fuelled by the high demand from not only Muslim population but the non-Muslims too.

"MIHAS is an avenue where all stakeholders in the public and private sector from Malaysia work collectively to promote the trade of Halal products and services, which will have a direct impact to the development of Islamic economy's ecosystem around the world," Dr Mohd Shahreen mentioned.

Inaugurated in 2004 with the vision of becoming a global halal marketplace, MIHAS has earned a reputation as the world's largest Halal trade fair. For more details on the event, visit www.mihas.com.my / www.mihas2017.my.

SELASA, 7 MAC, 2017, KUALA LUMPUR: Perbadanan Pembangungan Perdagangan Luar Malaysia (MATRADE) dan Persatuan Usahawan Muda ASEAN Malaysia (MAAYE) anjur Program Inkubator Jaguh Eksport ASEAN (IJEA) di Kelantan untuk mengukuhkan pengetahuan perniagaan perusahaan luar bandar di dalam aktiviti eksport.

Program IJEA telah dilancarkan pada Jun tahun lepas di Karnival Usahawan Muda ASEAN yang dirasmikan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri YB Dato' Sri Mustapa Mohamed. Program ini adalah sebahagian daripada inisiatif Kempen Beyond Nations anjuran MATRADE yang bertujuan untuk merakyatkan eksport di kalangan penduduk Malaysia. Kempen Beyond Nations telah dilancarkan pada September 2016 oleh YAB Perdana Menteri Malaysia Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

Program IJEA melibatkan empat fasa iaitu Tadbir Urus Syarikat; Komunikasi, Penjenamaan dan Pemasaran; Pembiayaan dan Kewangan serta Ketahui Eksport. Peserta-peserta di dalam program ini berpeluang mempelajari topik-topik seperti pendaftaran harta intelek, pemasaran digital, penjenamaan, komunikasi antarabangsa, akses pasaran, padanan perniagaan dan banyak lagi. Inisiatif ini bertujuan untuk mempersiapkan usahawan-usahawan di kawasan luar bandar dengan skil dan kebolehan untuk mengeksport ke pasaran antarabangsa.

Dalam edisi pertama Program IJEA ini, usahawan-usahawan dari Gabungan Usahawan Parlimen Jeli (GUPJ) telah dipilih sebagai kumpulan perintis. Usahawan GUPJ ini dipilih berikutan lokasi Jeli yang strategik dan adanya pergerakan aktif dalam aktiviti eksport rentas sempadan. Tambahan, Jeli juga mempunyai kelompok usahawan mikro yang ramai - sekurang-kurangnya 700 pengusaha mikro berstatus Industri Kecil dan Sederhana (IKS) dari sektor pertanian, penternakan, pembuatan, runcit, gaya hidup dan makanan.

MATRADE melalui satu kenyataan berkata Program IJEA adalah seiring dengan aspirasi Pelan Pembangunan PKS ASEAN 2016 yang berfokus kepada inklusiviti dan penglibatan menyeluruh usahawan luar bandar dalam perniagaan antarabangsa. "Dengan teknologi digital, lebih ramai di kalangan komuniti perniagaan Malaysia yang dapat melibatkan diri dalam aktiviti eksport. Walaupun impak dari segi jualan tidak berapa besar, program sebegini memberi kesan yang positif kepada pembangunan sosio ekonomi negara kerana adanya elemen akses pasaran," kata MATRADE di dalam satu kenyataan.

"Program ini akan dapat meningkatkan daya saing dan memupuk kepada pembentukan komuniti perniagaan yang lebih produktif. Inisiatif ini akan mampu meningkatkan kualiti hidup bukan sahaja kepada kehidupan usahawan luar bandar tetapi kepada komuniti perniagaan di kawasan mereka," kata Pengasas MAAYE, Tuan Syed Nabil Al Jeffri. Beliau menambah, Program IJEA ini adalah sesuai untuk dijadikan 'case study' kepada negara-negara ASEAN yang lain.

Program IJEA akan berlangsung sehingga bulan Julai 2017 dan mungkin akan dikembangkan ke kawasan luar bandar yang lain di seluruh Malaysia. Untuk maklumat lanjut, emel kepada This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2017, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian food and beverage exporters to the United States of America need to be aware that the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA or FDA) will start enforcing the Foreign Supplier Verification Programme (FSVP) rule from May 2017 onwards. This measure is part of the country's Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2011.

The FSVP rule, designed to ensure the safety and compliance of imported food from foreign suppliers, requires non-exempted importers to establish written procedures for evaluating the hazards and risks associated with each foreign supplier and imported food.

This new rule makes US-based food importers responsible in ensuring that their imports are produced in a manner that is consistent with the US food safety standards. More specifically, importers will be responsible for determining known or reasonably foreseeable hazards with each food.

These hazards can be physical or chemical including radiological and microbial in nature. Importers must evaluate the risk of each food, based on hazard analysis and the foreign supplier's performance. Based on this information, the importer is to approve the suppliers and establish the appropriate supplier verification activities. The importer is responsible for conducting supplier verification activities and for the corrective actions for any nonconformance of these activities. These procedures must be documented and be followed by the importer. Malaysian exporters must take note that the FSVP programs are specific to each food and supplier. The importer will determine which supplier verification activities are appropriate, based on the evaluation of the risk. One of these activities, the annual onsite audits of the supplier's facility, is generally required when there is a reasonable probability that exposure to the hazard will result in serious adverse health consequences, or death to humans or animals. Consequently, Malaysian food exporters to the US will likely need to undergo auditing process on their factories and record keeping procedures.

According to Chief Executive Officer of MATRADE, as US consumers demand variety, quality and convenience in the foods they consume, the market opportunity for processed food in the US remains large. "Malaysian food exporters to the US and those seeking to enter the market should take necessary steps to ensure that their products meet all safety and compliance requirements. By doing this, it will not only provide a great advantage to them but it signals Malaysian exporters' reliability in meeting global standards," Dr Mohd Shahreen Zainooreen Madros said.

Malaysia's exports of processed food to the USA reached USD155.4 million (RM639 million) during the period January-November 2016. Among the top products exported include cocoa & cocoa products, cereals, edible products, processed seafood and prepared fruits & vegetables.