The prospects for halal products were discussed in Moscow

The international exhibition of Sharia-compliant products and services «Moscow Halal Expo 2010» held in Moscow proved that the global halal market is evolving rapidly. To remove the obstacles for its growth, it is necessary to develop a single global standard for the production of halal products and to prepare professional staff, which would organize production in accordance to Shariah.

Participants of the international exhibition «Moscow Halal Expo 2010» pointed that production of Sharia-compliant food and services is experiencing rapid growth. The event, which took place in Crocus Expo on June, 7-9 was organized by the Russian Mufties Council (SMR) and the Centre for Standardization and Certification "Halal". The exhibition was represented by local and foreign manufacturers of food, medicines, clothing, cosmetics and perfumes, tour companies.

Head of International Department of SMR Rushan Abbyasov while opening the exhibition, said that "the peculiarity of this event is that its members are those companies and organizations whose activities are carried out according to the principles prescribed by Islamic standards, and the company, partly using them in their business".

Halal products should not contain alcohol, pork, and the animal must be slaughtered in a special way. Terms of Shariah are applied not only on food industry but also on financial activities (e.g., a ban on interest on loans) and services. However, they are valid not only for devotees of Islam, but also for non-Muslims, who are attracted by quality. Since according to Islam animals that die by drowning, fire, electric shock, injury - are the corpses, therefore modern methods of slaughtering livestock and poultry electric or high temperature are not acceptable.

Within the framework of the event on June, 8 Forum «Halal Industry in Russia and the world» was held and was attended by experts and representatives of the halal industry from Russia and foreign countries: Belarus, Great Britain, Germany, Malaysia, Syria, the United States and other countries.

Market of halal products and services has great potential as 1.6 billion of muslims live in the world, including about 20 million in Russia. This market is currently estimated at $ 3 billion and grows at 14% per year, the participants of the forum reminded to the listeners.

The boom in this market is not only due to an increase in the number of consumers, but also because of increasing the range of halal products and services. "With an increase in the number of Sharia-compliant products on the market the need to develop luxury brands and selling them worldwide increases as well," - said Leyla Mundy, CEO and founder OnePure Halal Beauty - halal cosmetics manufacturer.

Among the challenges facing the halal industry are: the absence of a single world-wide global standard, the absence of comprehensible system of certification, lack of qualified auditors, managers and weak integrated food industry, the technical auditor of the company Halal Control Ali Fanus believes.

Zhafar Azizbaev, director of standardization and certification of halal products in the SMR, said that in Russia the problem of manufacturing products in accordance with Shariah emerged in the second half of the 20th century. At that time the Russian Muslims, previously lived mostly in rural areas and provide themselves with all necessary products, started moving to the cities, and urban shops have failed to offer them adequate products.

The situation changed greatly in the 1990's - early 2000's, when international standards of halal were introduced in Russia. In 2003 the Mufti Council has developed its own standard and certification procedures for such products, and in 2009 a system of voluntary certification of "Halal" began to work.

08.06.2010