The recent extension provided by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) grants additional time for halal certification bodies and export units to comply with accreditation requirements. This move comes after the DGFT had previously notified the policy conditions for the halal certification process for meat and meat products, emphasizing the need for accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies for i-CAS Halal by April 5, 2024.
In a bid to streamline the certification process, the guidelines mandate that meat and its products can only be labeled as 'halal certified' if they are produced in facilities holding valid certificates accredited by the Quality Council of India. The extension of the deadline until July 4, 2024, aims to ensure the effective implementation of the accreditation process for halal certification bodies and export units participating in the Indian Conformity Assessment Scheme (i-CAS) for Halal.
This development is crucial for the halal industry in India, which currently lacks a national regulation for halal certification. The global halal food market has seen significant growth, reaching USD 1,978 billion in 2021, with a projected increase to USD 3,907.7 billion by 2027. Despite the infancy of India's halal industry, private companies such as Halal India Pvt Ltd and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust have been pivotal in providing halal certification for food products in the country.