Africas
Groundbreaking Halal Foods Agreement in South Africa
By Press release
Mar 23, 2006, 17:17

Groundbreaking Halal Foods Agreement

Consumers and producers of halaal foodstuffs stand to benefit from a new co operative agreement concluded between major halaal certifying bodies.

On 14 March,the members of the National Halaal Forum (NHF) met in Johannesburg to agree and sign a Code of Conduct which regulates the conduct of each signatory in relation to the provision of halaal certification services in South Africa.

The National Halaal Forum comprises representatives of the Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust (MJC),Islamic Council of South Africa (ICSA) and the National Independent Halaal Trust (NIHT).

Although members of the NHF will continue to exist and operate as separate and independent halaal certification bodies,they have pledged to work together in the interests of consumers, producers,wholesalers and retailers of halaal foodstuffs.

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGSA) has played an active role in facilitating the agreement between members of the NHF and will continue to play the role of facilitator of future meetings of the NHF.

CGSA appointed facilitator Haroon Kalla says that the significance of the adoption of a Code of Conduct is that it achieves working unity for the first time between the participating halaal certifying bodies.

The NHF will build on the new found unity of members by agreeing on uniform standards of halaal certification and will meet towards the end of April to develop a position in this regard.

In the interim,the NHF welcomes the participation of any other halaal certifying body which is willing to agree to the Code of Conduct adopted between founder members.

Issued by : The Consumer Goods Council on behalf of the National Halaal Forum.

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