OUTLETS TO MARKET HERBAL PRODUCTS

Feb 16 (NST Online) -- KUALA LUMPUR: Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the herbal industry are getting a helping hand to market their products. The Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Ministry will soon be setting up trading outlets known as 4PU (Pusat Pengumpulan dan Pemasaran Produk Usahawan) in Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Johor and Selangor.

Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the 4PU would be a one-stop centre for the collection and marketing of the herbal products. It will also brand and re-package the products and ensure they meet international standards. "We are talking about a RM8 billion herbal industry with 40 per cent, or RM3 billion, of the herbal products manufactured locally," Khaled said at the opening of a 4PU outlet at Herbal Plaza in Jalan Medan Tuanku here yesterday.

The outlet is a joint venture between the ministry and the Malaysian Herbal Corporation. It has 300 lots for entrepreneurs to display and market their products. So far, only 147 lots have been taken up. At present, Malaysia's exports of locally manufactured herbal products is worth about RM300 million, with most of it comprising herbal extracts. Khaled said the country's rainforests were extremely rich in biodiversity and had immense potential in terms of medicinal or herbal value. He said this wealth should be tapped with effective biotechnology research and development.

The country could create a niche for itself and market the products not only locally but throughout the world. The ministry, he said, had an annual allocation of RM10 million to help entrepreneurs advertise and market their products locally and internationally. "We even help entrepreneurs who have not named their products, or who cannot afford attractive packaging or have low quality products. "We help them to brand, re-pack and improve on the quality so that they can sell their products," he said. The ministry, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Malaysia Airports last year, had also held a meeting on Thursday to allow Bumiputra entrepreneurs to promote and market their products at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The outlet will be situated at the bridge link from the KLIA parking lot to the main terminal. It is scheduled to begin operations by June. Khaled said there would be 23 booths selling six categories of herbal products including food and drinks, drugs and health products. "These products are those which have complied with international standards. "Tourists will have no problem buying them and taking them back to their countries," he said, adding that the ministry, together with the 4PU, would also aggressively promote herbal products to Malaysians.

The 4PU centres are also expected to be listed by travel agencies and tour operators as tourist destinations. "By doing all this, we will be creating employment opportunities for many Malaysians in rural and urban areas," said Khaled. He said if demand for the herbal products was good, the ministry would also promote contract farming and manufacturing.