Argentina To Promote Business Opportunities At Latin American Business Day

By Tengku Faezah Tengku Yusof & Nurashikin Abdul Aziz KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 (Bernama) -- Argentinian Ambassador to Malaysia Manuel Balaguer Salas is committed towards bringing in more businesses to Malaysia, and will use the Latin American Business Day, to be held here on Aug 1, as a platform to expand trade ties. “We are making a big effort to showcase our own products and I am trying to get more businessmen to participate, including Arcor, a company which produces food, candies, chocolates, cookies, marmalades and desserts,” said Salas. The company has penetrated 120 countries with its products. “We also have Imartek, an Argentine company based in Lumut, Perak, which produces hydro generation equipment such as generators and turbines for water dams. “We are trying to help the company expand and increase its participation in Malaysian projects,” he told Bernama, in an interview, held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Malaysia. Salas said that the Latin American Business Day would enhance awareness for business opportunities in Malaysia and Latin American countries, as well as, promote imports and exports of products and services of both Malaysian and Latin American countries to ramp up bilateral investments. The one-day event would be organised by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, together with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Latin American Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. On another note, Salas reiterated Argentina’s keenness to tap Malaysia’s halal industry, particularly the export of Argentine beef. “Argentina is known for the quality of its beef and we have already exported halal beef to Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan. “We are still working with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and the Halal Industry Development Corporation to find ways to bring back our beef to Malaysia,” he said. He said that JAKIM had requested 100 per cent halal abattoirs to produce halal meat. “We are trying very hard to find a company that can fulfill this condition, as there is demand for Argentine halal beef, especially from restaurants, hotels and supermarket in Malaysia,” he added. Malaysia ceased importing Argentine beef after 2010, following changes in regulations due to the foot-and-mouth disease, as well as, a change in Malaysia’s halal regulations. In an effort to promote the meat, Salas said that they would serve halal beef during the upcoming Argentine Gastronomy Week, to be held from May 22 to 28. He said world-renowned Argentinian Chef Diego Jacquet, would organise and design a menu for the gastronomic event, which would feature Argentinian cuisines such as “carbonada criolla”, made with ground beef and “bife a caballo”, a beefsteak topped with fried egg, among others. -- BERNAMA