BPJPH Publicises Mandatory Halal Certification Obligations to Exporters
Indonesia’s Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH) is continuing to strengthen outreach on mandatory halal certification obligations to business operators. Socialisation efforts are directed not only at domestic entrepreneurs but also at foreign product exporters seeking to enter the Indonesian market.
BPJPH Secretary-General Muhammad Aqil Irham stressed that the Mandatory Halal October 2026 requirement—the implementation of mandatory halal certification obligations—applies uniformly to all products circulating in Indonesia, whether domestic or foreign products.
He emphasised this point while serving as a speaker at a web seminar titled “The Readiness of Thai Exporters to Comply with Indonesia’s Mandatory Halal Import Requirement October 2026,” organised by SCISI on Wednesday, 11 March 2026. The webinar, attended by approximately 75 Thai exporters, aimed to educate and inform Thai business operators about their readiness to meet Indonesia’s halal certification requirements.
“Various research findings and survey reports demonstrate that the halal product market possesses tremendous economic potential and presents promising opportunities for business operators in both domestic and international trade,” Aqil stated in a written statement.
According to Aqil, this substantial potential must be optimised through cross-border collaboration and cooperation to ensure halal product trade proceeds without obstacles and halal product needs are satisfied. “To maximise this potential, various collaborations continue to be developed through government-to-government (G2G), business-to-business (B2B), and government-to-business (G2B) schemes, so that the halal product trade ecosystem can grow stronger and become increasingly interconnected,” he explained.
During the occasion, Aqil also highlighted halal cooperation between Indonesia and Thailand through a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between BPJPH and the Central Islamic Council of Thailand. “This agreement enables mutual recognition of halal quality assurance whilst facilitating smooth halal product trade between Indonesia and Thailand,” he stated.
Aqil further noted that trade relations between Indonesia and Thailand have demonstrated positive dynamics. In 2025, bilateral trade totalled 17.6 billion US dollars, with Indonesian exports valued at 8.7 billion US dollars and imports at 8.9 billion US dollars. “This demonstrates that significant scope remains to strengthen trade between the two nations, including through increased trade in halal-certified products,” Aqil said.