INDONESIA: Jakarta to be world’s Halal food centre

Jakarta will be a centre of the world’s Halal food as headquarter of the World Halal Food Council (WHFC) will be officially opened on 16 January 2012.

"The office, located in the MUI (Indonesian Ulema Council) Building, Central Jakarta, will be inaugurated concurrently with the opening ceremony of the WHFC annual meeting,” said the Director of MUI Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM), Lukmanul Hakim.

Indonesia as a world`s Halal food centre is supported by some international Halal certification agencies such as those in United States of America, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore.

Last year, Coordinating Minister of Economy, Hatta Rajasa, has signed the declaration that established Jakarta as the head office of the World Halal Food Council.

Lukman said the annual meeting of WHFC in Jakarta would be a great and strategic momentum for Indonesia as a country with the largest consumer base for Halal products.

“With the large population of Muslim consumers and the various industries of food, beverages, medicines, and cosmetics, Indonesia should be a leader in the world’s Halal products competition,” he continued.

The Annual General Meeting of WHFC will be held in Jakarta on 16-18 January and will be opened by Indonesian Vice President Boediono.

The meeting will be attended by Ambassadors and commercial attachés from other countries, observers, directors of Halal product industries, and at least 25 of the world`s Halal certification agencies.

The agenda of the meeting would be a discussion on the work programme, standardisation, socialisation, and education of Halal products all around the world.

WHFC was established in 1999 in Indonesia and Prof. Aisjah Girindra was elected as its president.

On 23 June 2011, members of WHFC had agreed to reactivate the WHFC and elected Lukmanul Hakim as its president as well as Jakarta as its headquarters.