News From : DagangHalal.com (25 Dec 2009)
The government will strengthen its export development programs in 2010 to take advantage of the $1-billion Halal food market.
The programs would include advocacy, implementation of the Philippine National Standard (PNS) and the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) and the strengthening of the capabilities of the Halal National Accreditation Board.
PNS provides the general guidelines for the Philippine food industry on the preparation and handling of Halal food, including food supplements.
“We have to attend to those things so that we will be able to penetrate all the potential markets for our Halal products,” said Senen Perlada, director of the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion (BEPT).
Perlada said there are Halal markets in the United States, in the Middle East, China, Malaysia and in neighboring ASEAN countries.
In its 2010 plans and programs, the BETP has already proposed the conduct of an outbound business matching mission for Halal food in Malaysia in May.
BETP would also tap new markets for Halal food and at the same time undertake benchmarking programs.
The promotion of Halal products overseas was among the country’s strategies identified to generate revenues under the Philippine Export Development Plan for 2008 to 2010.
Aside from the Middle East and other Muslim countries, other important markets for Halal products include India, China and South Africa.