By Nur Atiq Maisarah Suhaimi
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) is providing opportunities for international food producers and importers to explore and expand their presence in the Malaysian market, driven by local consumer demand and purchasing power.
Russian turkey distributor 3Bumi Trading Sdn Bhd is among the companies leveraging MAHA 2026 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) to introduce its products to the local market and expand the range of Russian food products available in the country.
Its General Manager Wan Katzlan Abdullah said Russian turkey was first imported into Malaysia in December 2025 after the product received halal certification from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), thereby strengthening food security and the country's halal ecosystem through alternative sources of supply.
“Russian turkey had already obtained halal certification from the Russian authorities, and to further strengthen its halal status, we began working with Jakim as early as 2023 on inspections, including the slaughtering process in accordance with Islamic law, food safety and compliance with halal requirements at the farm level, to obtain Jakim's halal endorsement,” he told Bernama.
Wan Katzlan said the product has now received positive response from several supermarket and restaurant chains in Malaysia, including Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer and AEON, and is also available at the Ampang branch of Hameediyah restaurant.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan sees Malaysia as a new and promising market for its agricultural sector, particularly given the demand and purchasing power of Malaysian consumers.
Uzbekistan's Agriculture Ministry’s leading specialist in the Department of Investment, Jasur Ikhomjonov, said the country's inaugural participation in MAHA was aimed at introducing its agricultural and food products while seeking local distributors and business partners.
“Malaysia is a new market for us in the agriculture sector. We are trying to come to the Malaysian market and be your friends in this trade,” he said.
Among the products highlighted was palov, a traditional Central Asian dish presented as a ready-to-eat canned meal that can be prepared by heating it in a microwave.
Jasur said Uzbekistan also sees an opportunity to further expand the presence of its products in Malaysia through the establishment of an “Uzbek Corner” or “Uzbek Town”, which is targeted for realisation by the end of this year.
For Palestinian exhibitors, participation in MAHA 2026 represents one of the ways to showcase the resilience and strength of the country's agricultural sector amid the challenges faced due to the Israeli occupation.
Assistant to the Director of Alradwan Global Trading, Mohamad Majd, said the company was showcasing Palestinian agricultural products, including premium-quality Medjool dates, dates wrapped in Belgian chocolate and pistachios, as well as pure extra virgin olive oil.
“All products in our exhibition are produced and sent from Palestine to Malaysia. At the moment, we are not selling. We are just showcasing our products and showcasing the strength of Palestinian agriculture even through all the difficulties. We are still able to show the world our products,” he said.
Mohamad said the participation provided an opportunity to showcase the uniqueness of Palestinian agricultural produce, particularly Medjool dates, which have attracted the attention of Malaysian visitors for their size, taste and quality.
He said Alradwan was also seeking retail outlets and international distributors to expand its market, with its products currently available in several Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia.
Also attracting visitors' attention was Foods & Breads Co Ltd, a company specially brought in from Hokkaido, Japan, to showcase three main products at the Japan Pavilion – Hokkaido milk bread, frozen dough and soft-serve ice cream, as well as the country's popular Captain Ramen.
A representative of the exhibitor said its speciality products, namely Hokkaido dough and milk bread, have a shelf life of up to 12 months and are made using specialised processing technology, including seaweed extract to help retain moisture, as well as fresh milk and wheat sourced from Hokkaido.
“For this bread product, we do not use water. The liquid base is entirely fresh milk from Hokkaido, and the wheat itself is also locally sourced from Hokkaido,” he said.
He said the products are currently in the process of obtaining halal certification from Jakim before being marketed more widely in Malaysia, while the company also plans to open a cafe in Malaysia.
The International Country Pavilion, an initiative under MAHA Go Global, brings together 14 foreign exhibitors from the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Denmark, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Thailand and Palestine at this year's edition.
-- BERNAMA