According to the China Muslim Association, China currently has a Muslim population of about 22 million and its halal products market is estimated at more than US$2.5bn with an annual growth rate of over 10 per cent.
MATRADE said in its statement that its bureau in Chengdu had reported that there were opportunities for Malaysian halal food producers to tie-up with leading multi-branch department stores and supermarkets in Gansu province.
According to the statement, these partnerships could be on distributing halal products in order to access the market and meet growing demand from the province's Muslim population of 2.5 million people.
There is also growing demand for halal products from the surrounding provinces of Qinghai, Ningxia Hui, Shaanxi and Xinjiang Uyghur, the statement said.