ZAMBOANGA CITY — The government is banking on marine and fruit
products to lead the country’s foray into the $500-billion global halal
market this year.
Sitti Amina Jain, the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI)
national point person on halal food, said in an interview yesterday
that canned and bottled sardines, frozen and processed tuna, as well as
dried and fresh fruits, have promising potential in the halal
international market.
She said the Department of Agriculture had earlier warned that
the country could not compete yet with halal meat products from
Australia and Brazil.
Still, Ms. Jain said local goat and poultry products could be
promoted since the Philippines has goat breeding facilities and remains
a bird flu-free country.
