B264m committed to promote Halal food

A total of 264 million baht from the Thai Khem Khaeng economic stimulus programme will be earmarked to develop nine Halal food projects as part of the country's Halal food development plan.

Under the five-year plan starting this year, the government plans to spend up to 5 billion baht to market Thai Halal food to international Muslim consumers.

Muslims comprise more than a quarter of the world's population, approximately 1.8 billion people, representing a lucrative export opportunity for Thailand.

The plan calls for the government to raise shipments of Halal food by at least 10% a year between 2010-2014.

Target products include vegetables, fruit, fishery and livestock products and services such as tourism and health. The strategy also includes plans to encourage hotel entrepreneurs and restaurant operators to improve their services to meet the varying demands of Muslim visitors.

Development is mainly focused on the five southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun and Songkhla to become production bases for Halal products.

Tharadol Piempongsan, deputy secretary to the prime minister, said the nine projects are ready to get underway. Those projects include a plan to upgrade slaughterhouses and beef processing and to re-organise the Halal World Congress after it was delayed from March 19-24 this year due mainly to political unrest.

He said Thailand needs to upgrade its Halal standards, as trade partners are still less confident in Thai Halal food, especially for livestock products such as chicken and beef.

Halal exports fetched the country 5.19 billion baht in 2008, a rise of 53.3% from 3.38 billion in 2007. In 2009, Halal exports surged to 8.36 billion baht.