Indonesia asked to export more 'halal' food items
Indonesia asked to export more 'halal' food items
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, which has introduced halal (permitted
by Islamic law) labeling on processed food products, could tap
into the increasing global halal food market, an expert said.
Mohamed Jafri, a consultant to the Singapore Malay Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, told journalists here on Thursday that
annual trading of halal foods across the globe is increasing,
reaching US80.7 billion per annum.
Of the total trading, West Asian countries, with a total
Moslem population of 134.52 million people, are the largest
importers of halal food, totaling $13.2 billion annually. North
African countries with 228.40 million Moslems import $12.3
billion, while the Indian subcontinent with 405.14 million
Moslems only imports $5.79 billion.
Indonesia's exports of processed foods during the January-
October period of last year increased by 15.29 percent to $656.3
million from the corresponding period of 1993.
Jafri also invited Indonesia's Moslem scholars to take a
leading role in promoting international halal labeling and
contribute towards the standardization of international halal
labeling because there are some countries which have their own
special requirements for the labeling.
Jafri was here to promote the third International Moslem Food
Exhibition 1995 to be held in Singapore's World Trade Center from
Aug. 16 through 19.
He said the halal food exhibition, organized by the Singapore
Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is designed to promote
halal food on the global market.
The chamber, which was incorporated in 1956, was formed by a
group of Malay Moslem businessmen with the aim of safeguarding
the interests of their fellow business communities.
"If international awareness and understanding towards the
importance of halal foods to Moslems is already strong, major
food manufacturers in the world would be tempted to relocate
their food processing facilities into Moslem countries, including
Indonesia," Jafri said.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the chamber will also
organize an international halal food conference to create an
awareness of halal food and to provide insight into business
opportunities available in the halal food industry.
The chamber will also conduct a food galore exhibition which
will present halal cuisines from different Moslem countries.
(rid)