Monday, April 30, 2007 Firms seeking local halal body certification
MAJOR tuna industry player General Tuna Corp. (GenTuna) and two other firms are seriously seeking halal accreditation from a local certifying body formed here recently, officials confirmed last week.
Lawyer Guialil Kanda, vice chair of the Mindanao Halal Authority (Minha), told reporters that GenTuna, maker of the Century brand canned tuna products, wants certification from them.
"We're trying to tie up with the local tuna sector for their halal certification needs," he said.
The two other firms that are interested in getting certification from Minha are Martson Food Corp. based in Davao City and a poultry enterprise owned by a Mr. Ang in General Santos City, Kanda said.
Ricardo Magnayon Jr., GenTuna plant manager, said the firm is interested in seeking halal certification from Kanda's group for next year.
"We have halal certification from a Manila-based halal-certifying body that's good until the end of 2007," he said.
Magnayon said they are seriously considering the services of local halal-certifying body since this would spare the firm the burden of shouldering the travel and other expenses of those coming from outside General Santos City.
Essentially, GenTuna's canned tuna products are mostly exported to the United States and Europe but the opportunity in the global halal market is huge that the firm has been availing of a halal certification, he said.
Kanda noted that firms certified by their group would be recognized in at least 32 countries serviced by the Halal Certification Authority of Australia.
Mohamed El-Mouelhy, chair of Halal Certification Authority of Australia, graced last month's launching of the local halal certifying outfit.
He said the creation of Minha opened up opportunities for local firms to access the 1.9 billion global halal consumers. The global halal industry is estimated at $150 billion annually.
Kanda said they would only start the certification process after the registration fee of P500 is paid, adding their auditors were trained by the Australian Certification Authority of Australia.
Various halal certifying bodies have been operating in the country observing various standards.
Presently, the country has no national halal standards or guidelines as well as a halal accreditation agency, prompting stakeholders to seek recognition from international halal certifying bodies to gain credibility and competence.
Mohammad K. Ali Suib, chair of the Muslim Business Forum (MBF) here, said halal trade has been existing for years but the national government is not exerting serious efforts to further boost it.
"The irony is, despite having large Muslim communities, the Philippines is not a major player in the halal trade," Suib lamented.
Quoting an MBF report, he claimed that Thailand, a Buddhist-dominated country, posted an annual average of at least $6 billion halal exports since 2001.
President Gloria Arroyo earlier issued Memorandum Order 201 directing the Departments of Trade and Industry, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Health, Tourism and the Office on Muslim Affairs to get their acts together and come up with a singular halal standard in the country, which shall be run by the private sector.
Suib said the move was aimed at strengthening the country's halal industry as stakeholders have been looking abroad for recognition to certify.
The Muslim Business Forum succeeded in getting international recognition for Minha from Halal Certification Authority of Australia, Halal Certification Authority International, Halal Certification Authority of Europe and Halal Certification Authority of the Pacific Islands, he added. (BSS)
