MANILA, Philippines – Target ng halal industry ng Pilipinas na mapalago ng 10% ang export nito, kasabay ang lokal na sektor na mas magpapaigting sa produksyon patungo sa mas magandang presensya at access ng bansa sa local at foreign markets.
Ani Ammar Yassir Baraguir, program head ng Department of Agriculture (DA) Halal Project Management Office, handa na nilang palakasin ang produksyon sa ilalim ng 10-year halal roadmap mula 2017 hanggang 2027.
“As far as production is concerned, we have established several halal multiplier farms, (involving the) procurement of P5 million worth of animals for distribution in areas covered by the halal multiplier farms (and) technical assistance to private farms who seek to be halal certified,” sinabi ni Baraguir sa isang webinar na inorganisa ng Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport).
Sa ilalim ng second phase ng roadmap na halal food production phase, target ng stakeholders na pataasin ang halal crops, animal at milk, maging ang agri-fishery outputs.
Ayon sa opisyal, natapos na ang panuntunan para sa DA-assisted halal farms.
“These are microfarms, they are not capable of having the financial requirement to be certified as halal. So, what we do is we provide technical assistance and other assistance for them to be recognized as halal even before they are fully certified,” ani Baraguir.
Maliban dito, naghahanda na rin umano ang DA ng draft ng catalog ng DA-assisted halal products.
“We are aiming to craft future products that are not fully halal certified. But, if based on the assessment of the program, most likely halal-compliant. In such a way that we can give producers market opportunities,” dagdag pa niya.
Nakikipagtulungan na rin umano sila sa Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BFAR) para lumikha ng karagdagang national standards sa halal products.
Sa kasalukuyan, sinabi ni Baraguir na mayroon nang anim na Philippine national standards for halal, kabilang ang para sa halal agriculture and fisheries products, halal slaughtering practices for ruminants, halal slaughtering for poultry, halal feeds, code on halal goat production, at produksyon ng halal raw milk-code of practice.
Nauna rito, sinabi ng Philippine Economic Zone Authority na ang global halal industry ay nagkakahalaga ng $3.2 billion.
Sa kabila nito, sinabi naman ng Department of Trade and Industry noong 2018 na ang Pilipinas ay bumubuo sa 5% ng global halal trade. RNT/JGC
