Malaysia is set to penetrate for the first time into the Middle East market starting with UAE for its dried seafood products.
The main beneficiary will be the anchovy and dried shrimp suppliers in Sabah, after the signing of a MoU between National Farmers Organisation (NAFAS) and a Dubai-based export management company, Urbanex Gulf Corporate Services.
According to a NAFAS spokesman, demand for Malaysian dried seafood products was encouraging despite their high prices if compared to the Indonesian and Thai competitors. He said, “Dubai traders are happy with our samples because of the quality and that is why they offer (the export opportunities) to Nafas.”
As a start, a total of 25 tonnes of anchovies and dried shrimps will be exported to Dubai in February with an estimated sales of US$40 per kg. Apart from dried seafood, Nafas will also export ginger and turmeric to the UAE, and it is making Dubai a gateway before expanding into the rest of the MENA region.
Nafas is one of the organisations that participated in the Sustainable Agriculture Week at Expo 2020 Dubai.
