Newswrap: Halal industry
Malaysia’s HDC to bolster 50,000 SMEs in halal sector by 2030; Halal certification body to be established in Armenia; Save Foods expands into Morocco; Nigeria to host International Halal Seminar and Exhibition; Manchester to host Europe’s largest halal food festival.
Malaysia’s HDC to bolster 50,000 SMEs in halal sector by 2030
The Halal Development Corporation (HDC) announced plans to increase the number of SMEs in the halal sector to 50,000 by 2030, with an eye also on exports. Currently only 10,000 SMEs have halal certification through JAKIM, reported the New Straits Times.
"HDC realised that from the 10,000 companies with halal certification, less than 3,000 are capable of producing products for export purposes. The low number of halal certification ownership among entrepreneurs in Malaysia has made it tough for them to seize business opportunities abroad,” HDC's chief executive officer Hairol Ariffein Sahari is quoted as saying. "There are still some 190,000 non-certified halal SMEs in Malaysia and HDC has embarked on a mission to provide consultation services to help them submit their applications to Jakim. Our doors are open to companies to get the necessary advice before they go to submit their applications to JAKIM. HDC will assist them to ensure a smooth process," he told reporters here today.
Halal certification body to be established in Armenia
The International Centre for Standardization and Certification is expected to be established in Armenia to bolster exports, reported Armenpress. Russia’s ICSC HALAL is to be involved, being the largest certifier in Russia with partners in Belarus and Kazakhstan. “Certification will be provided for meat products, poultry, fish, milk, dairy products, bakery, confectionery, food additives, other food, healthcare and perfumes, cosmetics, tourism, spa services, hairdressing, fitness and taxi services,” said Aidar Gazizov, Director General ICSC HALAL.
Save Foods expands into Morocco
Save Foods, Inc., an Israeli agri-food tech company specialising in eco crop protection to reduce the use of pesticides, reduce food waste and ensure food safety, entered into a new partnership with Korair, that together with Accentis group, will introduce Save Foods’ treatments in Morocco, according to a press release. Morocco is a major exporter of fruits and vegetables worldwide, with an estimated 60% of its agricultural exports destined for the European Union (EU).
“Pesticide residues is one of the main challenges of global agricultural trade. From my experience as the CEO of Galilee Export, I can state that the European market is enforcing some of the world’s tightest regulations regarding the use of pesticides. Furthermore, many leading European retailers are demanding an even lower threshold than the official regulations. Moroccan fruits and vegetables sales to the EU set new records in 2020. That year Morocco exported to the €793 million kilogrammes of vegetables worth €972 million and 651 million kilogrammes of fruits worth €961 million. Using Save Foods’ treatments that reduce the use of pesticides will add Moroccan exporters another layer of confidence to enter the European gates,” said Dror Eigerman, Save Foods’ advisory board member.
Nigeria to host International Halal Seminar and Exhibition
Lagos is to host the International Halal Seminar and Exhibition. The two day event will be held on 8-9 August, facilitated by the Halal Certification Authority (HCA), reported Gatekeepers. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment of Nigeria, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and the Chairman, Sokoto State Zakat & Endowment Commission, Dr. Muhammad Lawal Maidoki will give key note speeches on the theme “Halal for All: Between Sustainability and Profitability.” There will also be speakers from International Institute for Halal Research for Halal Research and Training (INHART) and International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
Manchester to host Europe’s largest halal food festival
Manchester, England will host Europe’s largest halal food festival on 27-28 August, reported ABNA. The event will host over 100 exhibitors and is being sponsored by charity Islamic Relief UK.
