Indonesia's government is requiring food and beverage companies to obtain halal certification by October 2024, as Jakarta seeks to promote economic activities compliant with Islamic law. The certification indicates that all food and drink prepared in-store is deemed to be made using ingredients and processes compliant with Islamic law. The Indonesian government is aiming to build greater confidence in the country's halal products, with the Ministry of Religious Affairs overseeing the BPJPH stating that the application process for a restaurant chain takes around three weeks. The updated halal requirement is expected to boost household spending, which accounts for around half of Indonesia's gross domestic product, and expand Indonesian exports. Obtaining halal certification can be extremely expensive, and the state is currently shouldering the associated costs for small and medium businesses.State-run Bio Farma developed a halal COVID-19 vaccine called IndoVac in 2022, which it aims to export to countries in Africa and other markets. A local arm of Unilever has set up a research and development hub focused on halal products in Indonesia in 2021. But by and large, the country has lagged behind several other nations in developing its Islamic economy, despite having a larger Muslim population. It came in fourth out of 81 countries in the 2022 Global Islamic Economy Indicator rankings by U.S.-based Dinar Standard, with Malaysia taking the top spot. The Widodo administration has responded by publishing the Islamic Economic Master Plan, covering a range of industries from food to fashion, tourism, and finance. For the five-year period ending in 2025, the government expects domestic consumption of halal products and services to grow by 15% to $281.6 billion.Link di fonte: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/Indonesia-s-food-companies-rush-for-halal-seal-of-approval-by-2024 (ICE GIACARTA)

Fonte notizia: Nikkei Asia - 9 May 2023