Local halal industry to grow on stronger Mid-East demand

Philippine Star:The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) expects the local halal industry to further grow starting this year due to strong demand from Middle East countries.

Dennis Arroyo, NEDA director for policy and planning, said the Philippine halal industry is seen to grow to P500 billion in 2010 from the current P200 billion.
“The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said that companies are now discovering that the halal industry is a big market,” Arroyo said.

As such, he said the industry would be among the local drivers of growth starting this year.

This, Arroyo added, could help the Philippines cope with the global financial turmoil.

Last November, the Philippines through the Department of Agriculture (DA), participated in the halal World Expo in Abu Dhabi to showcase the potential of Philippine exporters.

Philippine exporters showcased various products such as fresh mango, processed mango and fruits, lechon manok, eggs, various sauces and mixes, flavored milk drink, ice cream, bottled drinks, canned juices, coconut milk, coconut cream and other coconut-based products, fruity bath soaps, processed meat, pastries, processed and frozen milkfish, preserved fruits, shrimp paste, halal certified noodles, bottled sweet preserves, all-purpose dressing and various kinds of dressings and condiments.

“Halal” refers to meat from animals that are slaughtered in rules strictly prescribed under Islam.

Arroyo also said the Philippines can look ahead to major expansions in trade particularly in the export of food and related agricultural products despite the economic slowdown in various countries as he noted that there is a constant market for halal products.

The United Arab Emirates remains the top export market of the Philippines in the Middle East region for halal products and it is where the country got its halal accreditation in June 2006.

The Philippines has a comparative advantage over other neighboring countries when it comes to developing its fledgling halal industry especially now that both the Visayas and Mindanao regions have already been declared and recognized by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or World Animal Health Organization as free from the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and bird flu-free, the DA has said.

The government is also stepping up investments to boost the halal industry including plans to establish a P2.2-billion halal Economic Zone in Davao. Other investment proposal to boost the halal industry, include an P840 million halal model poultry farm complete with research laboratories and other modern facilities.