DA LAUNCHES BANNER PROGRAM TO BOOST HALAL FOOD INDUSTRY

COTABATO CITY: A new priority program of the Department of Agriculture ( DA) is set to bolster specific industry in the country with the launch of Halal Food Industry Development Program ( HFIDP) recently. Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol designated lawyer Ranibai Dilangalen, DA undersecretary for Special Concerns, as DA- HFIDP national focal person. Through the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2016 or Republic Act 10817, the DA is mandated to develop the Halal industry in the Philippines and enhance the capabilities as well as global competitiveness of existing and potential exporters of Halal products, processes and services. Last year, Dilangalen led a series of Halal roadshows and consultations for DA- HFIDP in every region to prepare the stakeholders in the implementation of this program. “The DA allocated initial fund of P44 million for the Halal extension, support, education, training services, while P15 million was intended for the distribution of production support assistance,” he said. Originally, the agency has five banner programs – rice, corn, high value crops, livestock and organic agriculture. With the creation of DA- HFIDP, the Halal food producers in the country are expected to gear towards better opportunities in the processing and marketing aspects. Halal is an Arabic word meaning lawful or permitted. In preference to food it is the dietary standard as prescribed in the Holy Qur’an.