MICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Davao Region are having difficulty in exporting and competing in the global halal market due to the volume demand.
In a media conference at Tinhat Boutique Hotel and Restaurant on Wednesday May 1, 2019, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Davao director Maria Belenda Ambi said only one from the region is already exporting coconut-based products globally and they are still encouraging more MSMEs to also strive to be a part of the global market.
“We recognized that some of our Halal establishments are already Halal-certified, kaya lang, it is that the volume may not warrant to be promoted internationally because we have limited volume so we hope that we can resolve that problem,” Ambi said.
“We are now promoting Halal products and services anchored to the policies of the new act, the Philippine Halal Development Act 2017. Under that law, government agencies are mandated to support the development and promotion of Halal products and services in the country for export in the world Halal market,” she added.
Ambi said although Filipino businesses are taking part in the US$3.2-trillion world halal market, the region needs more promotion efforts to have Halal MSMEs venture in export activities.
Universal Islamic Center Foundation president Marilou Ampuan said issues on the region’s competitiveness in the international trade will be tackled in the 4th Annual Philippine Halal Trade and Tourism Expo 2019 on May 3 to 5 at the Abreeza Ayala Mall.
It is an event organized in collaboration of the different agencies such as the DTI, the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the private sector.
“There are a lot of agencies involved because we really have to put our acts together to really promote the industry so we have the DTI as the main agency for the promotion of products of MSMEs that are ready for export, and also for domestic,” Ambi said.
The DA representative Agnes Cecilia Roble said their agency has programs also that could increase Halal food production. She said they could assure the livestock, poultry and others will be under the Halal international standard that could help in export activities of MSMEs.