India implements new guidelines for halal meat exports
The updated guidelines, announced by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on October 1, 2024, specify that meat products can only be exported to 15 key markets - Bahrain, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Jordan, Oman, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey, and the UAE - if they are processed in facilities certified under the ‘India Conformity Assessment Scheme (I-CAS) - Halal.’
These guidelines apply to both fresh and frozen meat from bovine animals, sheep, and goats, as well as meat products like sausages. The facilities responsible for production, processing, and packaging must obtain certification from bodies accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under the Quality Council of India (QCI).
Exporters must also provide valid halal certification to buyers in the importing countries post-shipment.
This development follows the Indian government’s decision earlier this year to extend the deadline for halal certification accreditation by three months, until July 4, 2024. The initial deadline, set for April 5, 2024, required existing halal certification bodies to seek accreditation from NABCB under the i-CAS (Indian Conformity Assessment Scheme) Halal framework. The government’s extension gave additional time to certification bodies and export units to comply with the new regulations.
Historically, India did not have a national regulatory framework for halal certification, and the process was largely managed by private entities such as Halal India Pvt Ltd and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust. The implementation of the i-CAS Halal scheme marks a significant step towards establishing a standardized certification process, which aims to streamline the export of halal meat products and meet the growing demand in Muslim-majority countries.
Before the introduction of i-CAS, there was no mandatory government-regulated system for halal certification in India, despite the country being one of the world’s largest meat exporters. As a result, the halal industry in India is still considered to be in its early stages, with no specific labeling requirements for halal food products imported into the country.
The global halal food market, valued at US$1.97 trillion in 2021, is projected to reach US$3.9 trillion by 2027. India’s push to regulate halal certification aligns with the rapidly growing global demand for halal products, particularly in Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the UAE, and Pakistan, all of which have their own halal certification standards.
However, global halal certification standards are not yet harmonized, and countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the UAE have developed their own national frameworks. The International Halal Accreditation Forum (IHAF), an international body, has been working towards enforcing halal standards across member economies. Despite this, there is no unified global halal standard, which continues to present challenges for exporters aiming to meet the diverse regulatory requirements of different countries.
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