DTI to implement ‘halal’ industry devt

DTI TO IMPLEMENT ‘HALAL’ INDUSTRY DEVT

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will implement initiatives to develop the Philippines’ halal exports, a move highlighting the sector’s potential to spur trade and investments.

During the World Halal Assembly Philippines 2018 late last week, Abdulgani Macatoman, Trade assistant secretary for the Trade and Investments Promotion Group, said the country should produce, import and export halal products, noting that the “Muslim population worldwide percent per annum.”

“In 2016 the Muslim population - tion] is Muslim. In Africa, there are 635 million Muslims,” he added.

The “world Muslim population translates to a $3.2- trillion halal industry worldwide. It is expected to increase to $ 10 trillion by 2030,” Macatoman said.

“The sheer size of underserved markets makes it easier to penetrate the industry. There are simply more people who need halal products and services than there are existing businesses,” he added.

An Arabic word that means “permissible,” halal commonly refers to food prepared according to Islamic law, but it can also be applied to non-food items.

the Philippines currently contributes only about 5 percent of global halal trade.

With Republic Act (RA) 10817, or the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Program Act of 2016, in place, Filipino entrepreneurs are in the best position to take advantage of the rising halal industry worldwide, he said.

Macatoman also said Filipino Muslims understand what the global market wants, since they also belong to it.

“Filipino entrepreneurs, like the ones based in Zamboanga. are in a of this trend, particularly the efforts of the Zamboanga Ecozone and Freeport and the Regional Economic Zone Authority of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” he added.

“Preparation of halal food and - standing and obedience to Muslim culture, and we Filipinos have a great -

His statements came as the DTI’s Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) is developing the national the accreditation of all Philippine

Organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)Region 11, the World Halal Assembly was in line with the DOST’s mandate under RA 10817, which took effect after its implementing rules and regulations were approved on July 26, 2017.

Islamic scholars, Muslim academics and scientists, internation - lim and non-Muslim consumers attended the conference.