SINGAPORE – Halal food products from Singapore are now recognised by international standards in a move to snag a slice of the growing Muslim travel market pie, said the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore on Friday (Dec 7).
It received the ISO 17065 certification for entities certifying products, processes and services from the International Organisation for Standardisation.
Dr Albakri Ahmad, Muis deputy chief executive, received the accreditation plaque from Singapore Accreditation Council chairman Renny Yeo last month.
Last year, Muis certified about 5,000 premises and 55,000 types of products made in Singapore, ranging from ready-to-eat meals to sauces.
The number of applications it receives for halal certification has seen a steady 10 per cent annual increase over the past five years, said a Muis spokesman.
According to the Mastercard-Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index, the size of the Muslim travel market is expected to reach US$220 billion by 2020.
It is expected to grow a further US$80 billion to reach US$300 billion by 2026.
Said Ms Dewi Hartaty Suratty, Muis director of asset policy and industry development: “With this accreditation, we hope that Singapore businesses venturing overseas can have better competitive edge and greater market access for their halal products.
“For consumers, they can be assured that the Muis halal certification process is carried out in a competent, impartial and reliable manner.”
Businesses can apply for and manage their Muis halal application and certification through the LicenseOne portal at https://licence1.business.gov.sg.
