Malaysia as an International Halal Food Hub: Competitiveness and Potential of Meat‑based Industries

Abstract

As outlined in the Third National Agricultural Policy (NAP3), there is a need to enhance competitiveness and to increase value-addedness to the whole supply chain as well as to position Malaysia as an international halal food hub. This seems to be a noble idea but the paper argues that its implementation as a national policy must still be critically assessed and evaluated as it has far-reaching implications for the national economy. This paper discusses the concepts and trends related to supply chains and then relates it to several possible “hub” concepts that is relevant to Malaysia’s policy to become an international halal food hub. The paper then provides an overview of the domestic halal meat industry, including its present structure, major companies, achievement of food safety, quality and halal certification and major issues faced by the industry. It then discusses the potentials of global meat products. Finally, brief policy considerations are discussed.