(Anova) - To the Seafood Industry of Vietnam, the Muslim market is considered to be a potential “channel” to help enterprises diversify their market, besides traditional markets such as US, EU, etc. As exporting to this market enterprises need to notice about the process of passing the HALAL certificate (*).

Muslim world now has a population of 1.8 billion people over 112 countries; accounting for 25% of global population with a growth rate of is 2.9%  yearly, when the world’s average growth rate is just 2.3%. The world annually spends about 442 billion USD on food consumption, while the Muslim spends 150 billion USD.

An opportunity for Vietnamese seafood

The increase in population and incomes leads to the increase of consumption. In a seminar on “HALAL certification for food products in Muslim market and chance for Vietnam exporters” hold by The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Mr.Ng Chee Kong, representative of small and medium sized enterprises of Malaysia, informed that this was a chance for Vietnamese enterprises.

He said: “Vietnam has a strong point in agriculture product, so it has a big chance to enter the Muslim market”. The Muslim market is stable because of its consumption’s stableness. Vietnamese seafood will easily fix to this market.

He informed that Vietnamese enterprises should prior coordinate with crowed population Muslim countries or those who has a legal HALAL certificate as they want to widen the Muslim market. Malaysia is an example. The country annually imports more than 300,000 tons of seafood.

Vietnam is now ranked eighth among 63 countries do export to Malaysia, according to a document from The Malaysia Commercial. Export to Malaysia, shrimp is ranked third among 46 countries; crab, cuttle-fish and mollusk are ranked third among 33 countries. Seafood consumption is increasing in Malaysia days by days, from 45kg/person/year as in current to 61kg/person/year as to anticipate in 2010.

Moreover, The World Muslim Community accepts HALAL products which are manufactured and processed in Malaysia. In current, Malaysia is known as a center which provides HALAL food in the world. So Kong believes that Vietnam can be in charge of providing material; and Malaysia is in charge of processing as their enterprises are experienced in processing HALAL food.

HALAL certificate to enter Muslim market

Mr.Abdoromang, commissioner of Muslim community in Ho Chi Minh City, informed HALAL is a official legal certificate of Muslim countries. Nowadays, Muslim people can hardly distinguish which product is HALAL when they go shopping. The HALAL logo will create trust and guarantee products for Muslim consumer. 50 enterprises has received HALAL certificate; among them there are 20 seafood enterprises.

Enterprise can submit an application undertaking not to break rules and send to the Muslim Community in HCMC asking for HALAL certificate. The document must be attached with seafood list submitting HALAL certificate, a legal copy of quality standard certificate provided by public health – backup for the above list. In case of not having the right certificate, enterprise can make a list of product and its manufacture process asking for HALAL certificate.

The Muslim Community will examine the manufacture place to determine if the products are processed in a proper condition that meets the requirement of HALAL. They base on the report to make judgment. Any enterprise who meets requirements will receive the HALAL certificate which is valid in one year time.

Mr.Abdoromang warns enterprises that the Community may take an unscheduled or periodical examination. Enterprises need to ask for a new validity certificate is case that the HALAL is no longer valid; it should be at least 1 month before that. The representative department can revoke the certificate at any time if enterprises break the standards set in HALAL.

He also emphasized that pig is the most stringent prohibit animal toward the Muslim community. So enterprises are strictly prohibited using big meat or any product processing from big meat, big fat, beer, alcohol, etc. At the same time prohibit using blood or blood-origin products. These products are not allowed to grant HALAL.

The community does not grant certificate to product that has big-taste even though it is not big-origin. Spices origin from animal such as Gellatine, chicken fat oil, duck, bull, etc will need HALAL original certificate. It is required to keep HALAL products apart from non-HALAL product during the process of preparing, transporting and reserving. The manufacture line needs to be pure and cleaned

(*)According to the representative department of Muslim community in HCMC, HALAL is words of Allah in Koran Bible, means “allowed” or “legal” in ISLAM aspect. HALAL products are products that Allah allows Muslim to use.

Source: Vneconomy

Translated by Vietfish Community