KARACHI: SM Muneer, Chief Executive of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Patron-in-Chief of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), has claimed that the demand for halal foods is increasing across the world day by day.
The TDAP chieff expressed these views while inaugurating second annual Halal Food Festival organized by Amir Shamsi, President Universal Promotions at Messe Saga, Toronto, Canada.
He said that there is a potential to increase halal food trade between Pakistan and Canada, adding that the present government is making effective strategy in this regard.
Pakistan Consul General in Toronto Asghar Ali, member parliament Dr Shafiq Qadri, member parliament Harinder Milli, member parliament Broad Bewett, community leader Tim Iqbal and others were also present.
On the occasion, an award was given to leading Canadian businessman Naveed Bukhari to acknowledge his services in exporting halal food products to Canada and other foreign countries.
“Pakistan has a big market of halal food in Canada including fruit, vegetable, fish, mutton, beef; adding that Pakistan can export large quantity of halal foods to Canadian markets”, he added.
Apprising the statistics, S M Muneer said that an estimated value of Pakistani halal food exporting to Canada is about $214million; adding that currently around 1.2million Muslims are living in Canada and the population is growing at 3.24 per cent.
He said that the Trade and Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) was assisting Pakistani exporters to access Canadian markets and Pakistani living in Canada can also avail assistance from TDAP in order to get halal products for their use.
S M Muneer further said that the Exhibition namely “Made in Pakistan” is being organized every year in Canada in order to promote the trade between these two countries.
Asghar Ali, Pakistan Consul-General in Canada has said that the halal food festival has increased the demand for halal food in Canada adding that the festival is a source of awareness for people in using halal foods.
Amir Shamsi said that after first successful event last year it was a second event organized by Universal Promotions adding that large number of people belonging to Pakistan, Turkey, UAE, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other countries are visiting the festival every year.
He said that a large population of Muslims living in Canada in which 42 per ent from South Asia, 22 per cent from Arabs, 15 per cent from African, 11 per cent from Persia and 10 per cent from other Muslim countries, so this will help in growth of halal foods in Canada.
