Exporters urged to tap global halal market

Expert says halal certification mandatory to gain share in $2tr market

MULTAN:

Halal certification is mandatory to penetrate the global halal market if Pakistani exporters want to get a share in the over $2 trillion per annum business of halal products in the world, said Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) Project Director Omar Qureshi.

While addressing a seminar at the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) for awareness on halal certification, he said, “Pakistan’s share in the halal market was near to nothing and it is high time for exporters to avail this business opportunity.”

“Consumers who like halal products often get confused when buying,” he said, adding, that halal certification was the only way to address that confusion and win consumers trust.

Elaborating further on the ongoing situation, he stated that halal products, particularly halal meat, were being exported by India, France, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, and China. Moreover, Turkey was the only country from the Muslim world extracting its share from the global halal market.

Qureshi added that accreditation was mandatory in the global trade and every country has one accreditation council.

He mentioned that in Asia, the Asia Pacific Accreditation Council (APAC) supervises and certifies halal products.

PNAC technical expert Farooq Azam said the Muslim population was increasing and Pakistan can earn billions of dollars even if its exporters start exporting halal products to Muslim countries only.

He highlighted that in addition to halal foods, halal finance, halal pharmaceuticals and even halal tourism has been introduced.

MCCI Senior Vice President Syed Iftikhar Ali said PNAC’s halal certification can help exporters increase Pakistan’s share in the global trade, adding that it would also help ensure availability of good quality products in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2020.

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