The event was co-hosted by the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality’s Vietnam Certification Centre (QUACERT) and the Gia Lai Provincial Department of Science and Technology.

The workshop aimed to analyse and evaluate the potential to promote the development of Halal industry in the central and central highlands regions as well as propagating legal requirements, standards, and certification related to the Halal industry for key products of the localities.

The Halal market is considered a potential one with rapid growth and an opportunity for Vietnam to develop the Halal industry. According to the Halal Development Centre of Malaysia, the global Halal market was valued at 3 trillion USD in 2020 and is estimated to reach 5 trillion USD in 2030.

Among the countries in the region, Vietnam has many favourable conditions to develop the Halal industry thanks to its favourable geographical location and many strengths in agriculture, food, tourism and services. However, in reality, Vietnamese businesses face certain difficulties in producing and exporting Halal products.

In addition to the investment cost in production lines and equipment to produce Halal products, it is very difficult for businesses to find out information about Halal market culture, standards, and certification process and especially achieving diverse Halal certification suitable to the specific requirements of each market.

Addressing the workshop, Acting Director General of the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality (STAMEQ) Ha Minh Hiep said to support businesses in accessing accurate information about Halal standards of international markets and Halal certification requirements, the STAMEQ, authorised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, signed Decision No. 689/QD-TDC, dated March 29, 2024, on the establishment of the National Halal Certification Centre.

An overview of the seminar.

The centre will provide certifications for products, goods and services following Halal standards; organise training and coaching activities on Halal standards and requirements for Vietnamese organisations and businesses; and carry out international cooperation activities in the field of Halal.

As planned, this year, the centre will conduct registration procedures for the certifications of Halal products recognised in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Malaysia markets.

Speaking at the event, QUARCERT’s Director Tran Quoc Dung affirmed that with advantages in agricultural and forestry development, the central and central highlands region has become a large-scale production area for several key products such as coffee, rubber, pepper, and fruit trees. These are products suitable for the needs of the Muslim market. Therefore, businesses have the opportunity to effectively participate in the global Halal market.

The participants discussed the economic and cultural aspects of Halal products and services, the export potential for key products from Vietnam's south-central and southeastern regions, requirements for Halal products and services in Islamic markets, and the experiences in producing and exporting Halal products from several organisations and businesses.

The workshop also evaluated the current status and prospects of the Halal industry in Vietnam while identifying new measures to strengthen cooperation and take advantage of international resources to improve the capacity of Vietnamese businesses to participate in the production and supply chains of Halal products and services worldwide.