The government of India (GOI) on Tuesday, October 2, issued fresh policy conditions for the export of Halaal meat and its products that will come into effect from October 16 this month.
Notifying the conditions, the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said specified meat and or meat products shall be permissible to export as Halal certified to 15 countries only if such goods are produced processed or packaged in a facility certified under the “India Conformity Assessment Scheme (I-CAS) – Halal” of Quality Council of India (QCI).
Key details of the policy
Eligible country: The 15 countries include Bahrain, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Jordan, Oman, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey, and the UAE.
Certification requirements: The exporters must provide a valid halal certificate that is issued by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) to buyers in the importing countries post-shipment. This requirement will help meet both the Indian and global halal standards of certification.
Scope of products: These guidelines also apply to cover fresh and frozen meat from bovine animals, sheep, and goats. This action is aimed at streamlining halal certification processes for meat exports from India.
It is pertinent to mention here that, only Halal food is permitted under Islamic law for Muslims to eat or drink. Halal food is prepared and processed by specific guidelines, and it must not contain any ingredients from haram (non-halal).
In 2021, the Global Halal food market was valued at USD 1.97 trillion and is expected to reach USD 3.90 trillion by 2027.
Since India is home to a large Muslim population, it represents a huge opportunity for halal-based entrepreneurs. However, the country’s halal industry is still in its infancy. There are no specific labelling requirements for halal food products imported into India.
Halal certification in India is provided majorly by private organisations, which label the food or products as permissible. Some of the important halal certification bodies of India are Halal India Pvt Ltd and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust.
The International Halal Accreditation Forum (IHAF) is an international network of accreditation bodies responsible for implementing the standards on halal goods and services in their respective economies.
Various countries across the globe including major Muslim countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, UAE, and Pakistan have their own Halal standards.
The decision of the GOI not only aims to enhance trade relations with Muslim-majority countries but also seeks to bolster India’s position within the global halal market.
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