To Strengthen National Halal Ecosystem, BPJPH Invites Industry to Support SMEs

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) must be encouraged to enter supply chains so that their products are sustainable and have added value, even capable of penetrating wider markets. Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH) is promoting the active role of large industries in mentoring MSME actors to strengthen the national halal ecosystem while expanding access to halal product markets. BPJPH’s Main Secretary, Muhamad Aqil Irham, in his statement in Jakarta on Friday, highlighted the importance of integrating MSMEs into the halal industry supply chain. According to him, MSMEs cannot develop optimally if they operate independently, so the role of large industries is needed as mentors and connectors in the production process through to downstreaming. “MSMEs must be encouraged to enter supply chains so that their products are sustainable and have added value, even capable of penetrating wider markets,” said Aqil Irham. This push for collaboration between large industries and MSMEs, he assessed, is an important part of developing the national halal industry that does not only focus on certification. “But also on strengthening competitiveness, business sustainability, and expanding market access for Indonesian halal products,” stated Aqil Irham. Furthermore, he emphasised that halal certification has now become a basic standard (baseline) of market trust. The future challenge, he added, lies in the ability of business actors to optimise the added value of that certification for business growth. “Halal certification has become a baseline of market trust. The challenge now is how business actors prove and maximise its added value for business growth,” said Aqil Irham. In addition, he stressed that the halal aspect is an important factor in consumer decisions, especially in the food and beverage sector. The majority of consumers, he said, consider the presence of a certificate or halal label before deciding on a product. “The biggest sanction for business actors is not merely from regulations, but from the market. Consumer trust can be lost when commitment to halal is not maintained,” said Aqil Irham.