Government postpones mandatory halal certification for MSMEs until 2028

Makassar (ANTARA) – Minister of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Maman Abdurahman said the deadline for mandatory halal certification for MSMEs had been postponed until 2028.

“The final deadline for mandatory halal certification was scheduled for 18 October 2026, but because many MSMEs have yet to meet the target, President Prabowo Subianto has ordered that certification be postponed until 2028,” he said in Makassar on Sunday.

He said the postponement was made on the direct instruction of President Prabowo, who had responded to concerns raised by business owners on the ground. The two-year extension was granted because certification targets had not been met satisfactorily.

Many MSME operators consider the timing of the requirement inappropriate, as preparing administrative documents is seen as an additional burden on their business operations.

“The President received many concerns from MSME operators, generally about preparing administrative and other supporting documents, so it was decided to postpone the deadline,” he said.

President Prabowo recognised that many MSMEs were still unable to meet the requirement. To ease their burden, the government has therefore extended the deadline until 2028.

“During this postponement, the government will continue to seek and examine a middle-ground mechanism. The aim is to find an approach that reconciles the legal obligations under the halal certification law with the actual capacity of MSME operators,” he said.

Maman said he hoped an appropriate solution could be found so that the requirement could be introduced gradually without hindering the growth and viability of Indonesia’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprise sector.