Yo n g v u t s i g n e d t h e
memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with officials from Japan
Halal Development and Promotion,
a government agency for boosting
halal food standards in Japan and
promoting Japanese food products
in Muslim countries.
Under the terms of the
MoU, the NFI will assist Japanese
investors to gain the official halal
trademark from the Central Islamic
Council of Thailand. Halal food
accounts for roughly one
-third of
Thailand’s overall foods exports
which amounted to 897 billion baht
(US$25.43 billion) in 2015.
Moreover, Thailand’s Industry
Ministry has budgeted 180 million
baht (US$5.1 million) to promote
exports of halal products for fiscal
2016. The department will also
expedite development plans for
halal products of small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) and on a One
Tambon, One Product (OTOP) basis
to propel Thailand into becoming
the world’s top five halal exporters
by 2020.
The Industry Ministry has
allocated 120 billion baht (US$3.4
million) for the National Food
Institute (NFI) and 60 billion baht
(US$1.7 billion) to the Department
of Industrial Promotion, some of
which will be allocated to the Central
Islamic Council of Thailand to fund
the certification operations for halal
food products which currently cover
more than 5,000 companies.
With growing consumer
acceptance and recognition of Thai
halal foods, exports of these products
should continue to expand this year.
The rising world Muslim population
will also raise demand
for hygienic and highquality halal foods.
W ith
the
ra pid
expa nsion
of
e-commerce,
development of a halal
certification system and
the government’s fiveyear plan to support
and promote halalfood exports, there is
hope of the kingdom
becoming a top-five
halal exporting nation by 2020.
PHILIPPINES’ EXPERIENCE
Meanwhile, the Philippines is
working tirelessly to formulate
regulations for the export and trade
of halal products, processes and
services; the promotion of halal
products to the global market;
the implementation of research
and development programmes;
and the facilitation of training and
capacity building for farmers and
manufacturers, among others.
The Department of Trade and
Industry’s (DTI) Export Marketing
Bureau Senate Bill or the Philippine
Halal Export Development and
Promotion Act Of 2015 aims to
create the Philippine Halal Export
Development and Promotion
Programme as well as the Philippine
Halal Export Development and
Promotion Board.
The new policies will also
seek to establish the accreditation
process of halal certifying bodies –
through the Philippine Accreditation
Bureau – and to develop Philippine
National Standards for halal through
the Department of Agriculture’s
Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries
Standards (for primary and postharvest foods), the Department of
Health Food and Drug Administration
(for processed and prepackaged
foods, drugs and cosmetics) and the
Department of Trade and Industry’s
Bureau of Philippine Standards (for
non-food products aside from drugs
and cosmetics).
National Meat Inspection Service
Director Minda Manantan said three
halal
meat-processing
facilities
have already been accredited in the
Philippines, while data from the DTI
ISSUE 2 : 2016 | ASEAN COMMUNITY OF ENTREPRENEURS
15