Workers prepare amplang at a factory in Tawau. — Bernama file photo
KUALA LUMPUR (May 12): Who would have thought that the popular round-shaped ‘amplang’ (fish crackers or prawns in Sabah), and ‘tebaloi’ (a traditional sago-based snack) from Sarawak, have now penetrated the Japanese market and are well received in that country.
These two small and medium industry (SMI) products under the Peladang brand, and run by members of the Area Farmers Organisations (PPK) in Tawau, Sabah and in Mukah, Sarawak, respectively, were among the products promoted at the Dubai Expo 2020.
National Farmers Organisation (Nafas) Marketing and Promotion Division manager Mohammad Fauzie Tamin said following that, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (Mafi) offered to further expand the market for the product, through a collaboration with private companies overseas.
“This initiative is the first transaction as a market trial for ‘amplang’ and ‘tebaloi’ to the Japanese market. It is hoped that this effort will open up new market opportunities for other Borneo products in Japan.
“Alhamdulillah, we were informed that it received a warm response at the World Food and Beverage Great Expo (Fabex) 2022 in Tokyo, Japan recently. All profits are being channelled to the PPK involved,” he told Bernama.
He said the effort, to some extent, helped PPK members in increasing their sales and income and after this, Nafas will look at other Borneo products with the potential to be marketed in other countries.
The Flag-off Session in Japan, conducted by SD Impex Sdn Bhd as the coordinator in Malaysia, and SD Impex Japan Co Ltd as Malaysia’s export management company (EMC) abroad, was officiated by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee on April 22.
Workers prepare tebaloi in a factory in Mukah. — Bernama file photo
Through the Agricultural Advisory Office (PPP) in Tokyo, Japan, and closely monitored by the Mafi’s Business Development and Investment Division (BDI), the strategic partnership with SD Impex Japan has succeeded in increasing exports by 992 cartons, Ronald said during the event.
This involves 36 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) comprising over 50,000 units of ready to eat (RTE), ready to drink (RTD) and ready to cook (RTC) products by 13 manufacturers and entrepreneurs nationwide, under the MyKitchen brand.
Meanwhile, SD Impex Sdn Bhd group chief executive officer Nor Iskandar Naini Hanifah said as of April this year, a total of 70 SKUs of selected agrofood products involving various manufacturers and entrepreneurs under local SMEs were promoted and marketed in Japan.
He said the products brought from Malaysia were marketed through various platforms such as online, restaurant services and retail outlets.
“For online, the products are available in more than 70 per cent of market platforms in Japan under Halal2Go E-Commerce platforms such as Halal2Go, Amazon Japan, Yahoo Shopping, Rakuten, Mercari and Jimoty,” he said. — Bernama