Meat exporters to follow QCI certification for Halal meat from Oct 16

In an attempt to streamline various standards followed with regard to Halal certification of meat and meat products exported from India, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has made it mandatory for exporters to have certification from the Quality Council of India (QCI) if they want to export such products to some 15 countries, including the UAE, Singapore, and Indonesia, effective from October 16.

According to the new condition, “Specified meat and meat products shall be allowed to be exported as Halal certified to the countries (listed), only if such products are produced or processed and/or packaged in a facility certified under the ‘India Conformity Assessment Scheme (I-CAS) – Halal’ of QCI.”

The DGFT has further said that after the shipments are made, the exporter shall provide a valid Halal certificate issued under I-CAS by a Certification Body accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) to the buyer in the importing country.

In addition to the requisite conformity with I-CAS, the producer/supplier/exporter shall also meet the importing country’s requirements and regulations, as applicable, and shall provide a valid certificate to the buyer in the importing country that is issued by Halal Certification Bodies approved under the National Halal system of the importing country.

The countries where the new conditions for the export of specified Halal meat and meat products are mandated are Bahrain, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

India’s total meat export (under HS code 02) was $3.8 billion (₹31,746.7 crore) in 2023-24 and $1.1 billion during April-July of the current fiscal.