Azerbaijan's halal products to gain global recognition with new certification

"Halal" certificates issued to Azerbaijani products will be recognized worldwide.

This was stated by Ilham Bayramov, General Director of the Azerbaijan Standardization Institute (AZSTANDART), at the Halal Business and Tourism Forum (AZHAB Forum) held in Baku, Azernews reports.

"One of Azerbaijan's goals is to organize the export of halal products. Azerbaijan has great potential for this. There are large producers in the country, especially in the meat and dairy sectors. At the same time, there is a strong global market for these products. The consumption of halal products is not limited to Muslim countries. According to statistical data, the demand for halal products is increasing in non-Muslim countries, particularly in Japan and Germany.

Azerbaijan should increase its share in this market. To achieve this, we need to obtain international-level accreditation. The accreditation of the AZSTANDART Halal Certification Body by the Halal Accreditation Body of the Republic of Turkiye (HAK) will enable the certification of products for export from Azerbaijan. This certificate, in turn, will be recognized in global markets. However, halal standards have specific requirements. For example, when it comes to meat products, producing a genuine halal product requires proper regulation of animal nutrition, healthcare, slaughter, and subsequent processes. In this regard, we plan to organize training for local production enterprises and entrepreneurs," he said.

It should be noted that the Azerbaijan Standardization Institute, under the State Service of Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control within the Ministry of Economy, has obtained the right to issue the "Halal" certificate that meets international accreditation requirements from the HAC.

Since 2022, Azerbaijan has been a member of the Standardization and Metrology Organization of Islamic Countries (SMIIC). AZSTANDART is represented in 17 standardization technical committees of SMIIC and has adopted six new state standards based on SMIIC standards related to halal products and services.