The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) together with the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH) and Islamic Chamber Halal Services (ICHS) held a webinar entitled ‘Halal Certification, Technology, and Trade’ on Thursday, 27 June 2024.

Indonesia, as a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, has great potential in the global halal industry. With a population of more than 270 million, the demand for halal products and services continues to increase. Kadin, BPJPH and ICHS have been working together to raise standards and awareness of the importance of halal certification across the country. This cooperation is expected to support MSME development efforts and strengthen the competitiveness of Indonesian halal products in the international market.

However, there are challenges that must be faced in the implementation of halal certification, especially for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). With around 64 million MSMEs in Indonesia, only around one million can receive halal certification each year due to budget constraints. To overcome this, BPJPH has launched the Halal Village programme which aims to facilitate halal certification, empowerment of MSMEs in villages, and packaging and marketing of MSME products.

This programme is expected to support the UMKM Naik Kelas initiative promoted by Kadin, which aims to increase the capacity and ability of MSMEs to compete in the global market.

The webinar discussed various important issues related to halal certification, technology, and trade, with a special focus on support for MSMEs. It is hoped that this webinar will not only increase awareness and knowledge on the importance of halal certification, but also open up networking and collaboration opportunities between stakeholders in the halal industry.