Malaysia is 5% self-sufficient in dairy...Ireland may supply some of this demand

Reporting from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Bord Bia Trade Mission moves today to Kuala Lumpar, led by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, who will attend the Dairy Seminar.

This visit follows on from a successful few days in Indonesia where Irish companies met potential buyers from the country. Dairy Industry Ireland; Carbery; Dairygold; Glanbia; Ornua; Glenstal; Arrabawn; and LacPatrick were all represented at the event and representatives from the companies were happy with the meetings they had at the Dairy Seminar in Indonesia.

Those companies are attending a similar event today in Kuala Lumpur, which Minister Creed and Tara McCarthy – CEO of Bord Bia will attend.

Prioritising markets study

Malaysia was one of the countries to come out of Bord Bia’s Prioritising Markets study.

Both Indonesia and Malaysia have been identified as offering potential for dairy export growth through Bord Bia’s Prioritising Markets study due to their expanding middle class, dependence on imported dairy and the growing demand for consumer foods made from quality ingredients.

Malaysia has a population of 31.62 million people and it has the highest dairy consumption per head in Asia. Yet, the country is only 5% self-sufficient in dairy.

280,000t of dairy products are imported into the country, but a large amount of this product is manufactured and exported to other markets in south-east Asia.

Zero tariffs apply to cheddar, mozzarella or whole milk powder in Malaysia and this may be a market opportunity for Irish exports.

On the meat front, Malaysia imports 230,000t of beef, sheepmeat and pork. Much of this comes from Australia and New Zealand, as well as India and Brazil.