"Halal logo (placement in products) has become a global trend, and we are amazed that the 40 countries are mostly non-Muslims, with Muslims in the minority, and secular," BPJPH Chairperson Aqil Irham noted in a press statement here, Friday.
The chairperson remarked that the 40 countries comprised three Middle Eastern countries, two Australian and Oceanian countries, one African country, seven American and Latin American countries, and 15 European countries.
High interest to synchronize halal standards demonstrated comprehension of the foreign countries that halal certification is not merely a religious issue, as it opens up new opportunities in new market and trade sectors, he expounded.
He pointed out that the global halal industry has lucrative potential, with some 2.2 billion Muslims as potential consumers distributed across various countries, particularly Middle Eastern nations and Indonesia where Muslims constitute the majority.
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"Those demonstrate that halal products had become a global trend," Irham stated.
He remarked that the 97 foreign halal certification agencies will undergo an assessment after registering with the BPJPH, and if their halal certification standards have aligned with Indonesia's standard, a memorandum of understanding on mutual recognition of the halal certification between BPJPH and the foreign agency will be signed.
The memorandum of understanding would facilitate imports of foreign halal products to Indonesia, as the products no longer need Indonesia's halal certification, he remarked, adding that the recognition of exported halal products of Indonesia would be reciprocated by the foreign halal certification institutions.
Irham remarked that the assessment process for foreign halal certification agencies went relatively smoothly, with only minor issues, such as incomplete documents and product issues, detected.
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Translator: Agatha Olivia V, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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