Officials stress tapping global halal market

Call for taking initiatives to explore potential of ‘Made in Pakistan’ products

Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Mian Anjum Nisar has urged the government and private sector to take proactive initiatives to explore the true potential of “Made in Pakistan” products and carve out a niche in global market.

Speaking at a webinar on “Halal industry in Pakistan; potential and challenges”, he stressed the need for improving the quality of products, setting up accredited laboratories in order to meet standardisation needs and conformity with halal food product standards to increase exports manifold.

He said, “Globally, the halal industry is expanding more rapidly in non-Muslim nations compared to Muslim nations due to safer, hygienic, reliable and nutritious products.”

He added that the volume of global halal trade was more than $3 trillion but Pakistan’s share was very minimal. He emphasised the need for increasing halal food production and exports of semi-cooked meat, which was in high demand in China and other Far East countries.

Also speaking on the occasion, FPCCI Vice President Sheikh Sultan Rehman said the halal industry had emerged as a fast growing industry, attracting 2.4 billion people from all over the world.

“This industry is not limited to food and beverages, but also includes pharmaceutical, food services, financial services, tourism, etc,” he added.

Pakistan Halal Authority Director General Dr Akhtar Ahmed Bughio said standardisation and conformity of halal products was the need of the hour to increase halal sector exports.

He added that “we need to modify our standards as per international requirement”. He stressed that there was a huge demand for Pakistani Gelatine to be used in halal medicines in Muslim countries. “At present, only five to six companies are working in this sector and Pakistan is importing 75 million Gelatine capsules.”

Elaborating, FPCCI Regional Office Lahore Coordinator Muhammad Ali Mian said halal products could not be deemed fully halal if they were produced through a process that was not entirely Shariah compliant.

“A product will only be halal if its production and ingredients from start to finish, packaging, transportation and procedures are halal.”

Sanha Halal Associates CEO Mufti Yousaf Abdul Razzaq said Europe was currently generating 80% of global halal revenue and Pakistan had an opportunity to increase its export of halal commodities as 90% of the country’s raw material was halal.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2020.

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