In 2021, there were 112 institutions or facilitators who provided assistance for halal certification financing for MSEs.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry’s Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) has opened applications for its free halal certification (Sehati) program for 25 thousand micro and small business (MSEs) actors.

"We will implement the Sehati Program from March to December 2022. MSEs who register for the program will be prioritized," head of the agency, Muhammad Aqil Irham, said in a statement received here on Saturday.

The program, which was launched in 2021, is a collaboration between the Religious Affairs Ministry and a number of ministries, institutions, private agencies, digital platforms, banking, and regional governments, he informed.

Only 25 thousand MSEs, which fulfill the requirements, will be facilitated to make "self-declared" halal certification of their products, as stipulated in BPJPH regulations.

Furthermore, the BPJPH head told MSEs players who do not get selected not to worry since they can still avail free financing facilitation from other ministries, local government offices, banks, as well as private institutions.

He said that currently, the financing for halal certification from other ministries/agencies is still being consolidated with various parties, for instance, the Finance Ministry, the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry, the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), business associations, as well as banks.

"In 2021, there were 112 institutions or facilitators who provided assistance for halal certification financing for MSEs. The total budget for the assistance reached Rp16.5 billion, which benefited 7,160 MSEs," he informed.

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BPJPH has also approached various other parties to obtain support for financing for MSEs halal certification.

The agency is targeting to get 10 million products certified as halal by 2022.

"Currently, we are visiting a number of provinces for establishing partnerships and conducting hearings with governors, district heads, and mayors to get concrete support from local governments regarding facilitation and financing of halal product certificates for MSEs," Irham informed.

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Translator: Hreeloita Shanti, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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