Malaysia’s Halal Development Corporation (HDC) expects its new SME-focused online trading platform to start operations by the end of the first quarter of 2021.
HDC said on its official Twitter account on Saturday (Oct 3) that the Halal Integrated Platform (HIP) is 70% ready and is at the third of five phases of development.
HDC says the HIP is an online networking platform that connects Malaysia’s halal industry players to global halal players.
It lists many features, including: customised halal consultancy, halal industry training, facilitation for funding, halal ingredients database, E-marketplace, online advertising and promotion and talent-job match.
HDC chair Mahmud Abbas said HIP will bring together 200,000 local SMEs involved in the production of halal products and services, reported state news agency Bernama.
Bernama cited the HDC chair as saying that only around 7,000 of the 200,000 SMEs have halal certificates, and only about 1,500 companies are exporting their products.
HDC is aiming to send up to 4,000 applications to national halal authority JAKIM annually to increase the number of halal-certified companies that can export to international markets.
HIP is also meant to bring on board halal ecosystem companies such as government agencies and service providers such as banks, insurance companies and zakat bodies, reported Bernama.
Source Salaam Gateway