Malaysia Targets To Earn US$11.92 Million From Fruit Exports To Europe

From Nasriah Darus ROTTERDAM (Netherlands), Nov 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's fruit exports to Europe are targeted to worth at least US$11.92 million (RM50 million) this year compared with US$10.35 million (RM43.41 million) last year, resulting from promotional activities conducted on the continent. Agricultural Counselor of the Malaysian Agricultural Representative Office in The Hague (PPP The Hague) Yusmizam Mohd Yahya said the target was based on good response to the campaign carried out at five major supermarkets in four European countries. The consumers and supermarkets in the four countries were convinced on the quality and marketability of Malaysian agricultural products, he told Bernama here today. He was met at the Malaysian agricultural products promotion, the Malaysia Week, at the Wah Nam Hong Supermarket at Markthal Rotterdam, a port city about 80 kilometers from Amsterdam. Themed "Taste of Malaysia", the one-week promotion, which started on Monday, also featured Malaysian dishes prepared by Chef Mellisa van Haarlem and Chef Norman Musa. Speaking when opening the event, Malaysian Ambassador to the Netherlands Ahmad Nazri Yusof said the programme was aimed at raising awareness on the high quality of Malaysian agricultural products. Although Malaysian agricultural products are almost similar to that of other Asian countries, he said Malaysian produce were rather unique in characteristics, taste and quality. Ahmad Nazri said the Malaysia Week also involved the participation of Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation in The Hague in the quest promote bilateral trade and tourism. Among Malaysian fruits being promoted are frozen durians, jackfruit, mangosteen, rambutan, dragon fruit, sapodilla, 'dokong', watery rose apple, and 'salak', as well as Agromas agro products like spices, pastes and chips. The Malaysian agricultural products promotion here is the last of the series organised by PPP The Hague this year after Sweden, Finland and Romania. "PPP The Hague expects sales of Malaysian agricultural products at the five participating supermarkets is set to increase by at least 20 per cent in 2017 from 270,042 euro (1 euro = RM4.64) at present," he said, adding that the programme was launched in 2014. He said the programme this year began at a supermarket in Malmo, Sweden, followed by Helsinki, Finland (one supermarket) and Bucharest, Romania (two supermarkets) before moving to the Netherlands. Meanwhile, PPP The Hague also joined hands with the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia to showcase Malaysian fishery products at the Global Seafood Expo in Brussels, Belgium. The export value of Malaysian fishery products to Europe rose to RM86.86 million in 2015 from US$14.95 million (RM62.73 million) in 2014. --BERNAMA