The Department of Agriculture (DA) is urging Congress to pass a law creating a national halal agency that will help develop the halal industry in the Philippines and enable local manufacturers to become a major player in the $500-billion market.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the proposed agency will handle the regulatory functions for the halal industry and coordinate efforts to develop the sector.

Yap said the Philippines need to take advantage of the fact that the country remains free of avian influenza, or bird flu, and the foot-and-mouth disease.

Halal refers to the kind of food permissible under Islamic law.

The DA also assured that it will conduct training and seminars among stakeholders on the proper production, processing and marketing of halal cereal and vegetable crops, fruits, meat, milk, fish and other food commodities. Being an  active member of the Asean Working Group on Halal Food Guidelines, the Philippines has  also been  involved in the Asean-wide cooperation on halal-food industry development since the early 1990s, when halal food export was just starting to grow in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia.

Besides the DA, the departments of Trade and Industry, Health, Science and Technology, and Tourism, along with the Office of the President, Office of, Muslim Affairs and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao comprised the Interagency Core Group that had crafted the guidelines for the country’s halal food exports.

Under Memorandum Order 201 issued by President Arroyo, the Interagency Core Group was directed to harmonize all government programs related to halal trade in order to ensure compliance with international standards and the effective implementation of the Halal Export Trade Development Program.

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DA urges Congress to pass law creating national halal agency

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is urging Congress to pass a law creating a national halal agency that will help develop the halal industry in the Philippines and enable local manufacturers to become a major player in the $500-billion market.

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