KABAYAN: PHILIPPINE HALAL PRODUCTS READY FOR THE WORLD

09 August 2005

  The country’s halal industry is ready to go global.

 This is the message of Vice-President Noli ‘Kabayan’ De Castro in his speech at the 2005 International Halal Conference held recently at the Dusit Hotel Nikko in Makati City.

  In his speech, Vice President De Castro is optimistic that globalization would work in favor of the domestic halal industry contrary to fears of some quarters that it would result to closing down of local companies due to stiff competition from imported goods.

  The Vice President explained that the globalization efforts of the local halal industry would open opportunities for local players in terms of new markets and new products.

  Considering that nearly a quarter of the world population are adherents of Islam, Vice President De Castro estimated that there are about 1.5 billion Muslim consumers worldwide spread over 112 countries that the local industry can tap.

  And since we have good diplomatic relationship with around 70 Muslim-dominated countries, mostly in the Middle East, and even with countries where Muslims are in the minority like Russia and the United States, the Vice President is upbeat that our halal industry could make a significant dent in the estimated US$ 150 billion annual global halal trade.

  At the same time, Vice President De Castro admitted that competition is something that the local industry should hurdle through a concerted national effort. It would require a mobilization of the nation’s resources and the cooperation of key shareholders are needed.

  To achieve these, the Vice President proposed a) the establishment of a systematic, orderly and acceptable certification system in order that consumers can easily identify certified halal products; b) a sustained information campaign to make businessmen realize of the potential of halal as a global product; c) an improved process of gathering and disseminating market intelligence; and d) to provide access to financing and reduced bureaucratic processes.

  With these in place together with the efforts of the Office of Muslim Affairs in promotion of the halal certified Philippine products, Vice President De Castro is confident that the local halal industry has a bright future in the global market.

  

 Ref no. VPMEDIA 05-103