Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry's Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) has said it is optimistic that Indonesia can emerge as a major halal product exporter as long as it strives to maximize its halal capital resources.

"Our halal capital potential encompasses religious-demographic capital, socio-cultural capital, business and industry capital, economic capital, regulation-political will capital, and multilateral capital," BPJPH interim head Mastuki stated in his written statement received in Jakarta, Friday.

Muslim students are one major potential for developing Indonesia as the largest halal product producer, as their product innovations can attract popular and market interests, he emphasized.

Mastuki pointed out the Indonesian Muslim population at 209.1 million, which makes up 13.1 percent of the the global Muslim population, by itself is a major potential market for halal products and innovative halal industries.

"Our micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have reached 62 million, which is a great potential for halal product development for either domestic or export markets," he stated.

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The government is also committed to supporting halal product development by making capital, legal, and halal certification assistance easily accessible forhalal industry players, he said.

The government and Indonesia's major halal industry players have also collaborated to establish a Halal Industry Zone, halal tourism, halal products research and development, halal industry-MSME synergy, and other programs to maximize Indonesia's halal potential, he added.

Indonesia has a great potential to develop its halal industry by cooperating with other Islamic countries, particularly fellow member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mastuki said. With a total of 57 member states that make up 1.86 billion of the global population, the OIC could serve as a major platform for Indonesia to promote halal products, he explained.

"Indonesia's friendship with OIC member states is another great potential for Indonesia to be a major producer and exporter of halal products to countries in the world," he said.

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Translator: Asep F, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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