The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) is set to make Indonesia a global center for halal food products, saying it can help support the country’s tourism as many visitors come from the Middle East.
“Eating halal food should start in the country with the largest Muslim population,” MUI’s food, medicine and cosmetics analysis body (LPPOM) head Lukmanul Hakim said Wednesday in Jakarta.
He made the statements while addressing a seminar titled “The Availability of Halal Culinary Products to Support the Success of Visit Indonesia”.
Lukmanul said LPPOM MUI would organize the Indonesia Halal Exhibition from June 24-26 in Jakarta to support the goal, adding several countries were expected to participate in the event.
He said because Indonesia was a destination for many Middle East tourists, halal food products were in demand.
Lukmanul said so far Indonesia’s halal standards, set by LPPOM MUI, had been acknowledged by 43 foreign institutions in 22 countries, including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and the Netherlands.
