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.
