HYDERABAD, May 1 — Malaysia’s expertise in food and agriculture aligns with Algeria’s needs, but companies are missing out on opportunities in the key North African market, according to the Malaysian Ambassador to Algeria.
Datuk Rizany Irwan Muhamad Mazlan said this is because Malaysian firms remain focused on narrow commodities and have yet to fully grasp the potential of Algeria’s expanding food industry, as evident in their low-key participation at the Djazagro international agrofood trade fair in Algiers recently.
“Malaysian companies should offer integrated food solutions, combining packaging technology, halal-certified additives, and automated processing machinery to compete with European companies,” he told Bernama.
Rizany Irwan said Malaysia has a “gold standard” in the halal certification of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), which can be a powerful marketing tool as Algeria’s growing food sector creates new opportunities in local production and distribution.
Malaysia’s presence at Djazagro was limited to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and four palm oil companies.
The trade fair attracted 700 exhibitors from 28 countries, with foreign companies accounting for 73 per cent, the diplomat said.
A business networking session organised by the Malaysian Embassy revealed a clear mismatch, with just four Malaysian suppliers engaging with 58 Algerian trade bodies and companies involved in food manufacturing, imports, distribution and processing.
“This suggests Malaysian industry is underutilising its potential. Our future participation must move beyond a palm oil-only focus,” Rizany Irwan said, adding that there should be at least 15 Malaysian companies at the 2027 edition to better engage Algeria’s key food segments, such as bakery, industrial frying, and retail.
The ambassador added that Malaysia can combine its halal integrity consultancy with machinery and ingredient exports to gain a competitive edge over leading European players in Algeria.
