November 8, 2024

 

Vietnam seeks deeper engagement in Halal market with Middle East tour

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Qatar aim to strengthen Vietnam's role in the global Halal food supply chain, as the nation looks to expand its agricultural and food exports to meet growing demand in the Middle East.

 

Prime Minister Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation arrived at Doha International Airport for an official three-day visit to Qatar at the invitation of Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jasim Al-Thani. This visit follows Chinh's meetings in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where he engaged with leaders to discuss economic cooperation and trade.

 

A representative from the Asia-Africa Market Department, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that Vietnam currently exports agricultural products, fishery items, and food to Qatar, aiming to meet the country's increasing demand for Halal-certified products. Halal refers to food and services prepared in compliance with Islamic law, a market with significant growth potential.

 

The talks during Prime Minister Chinh's Middle Eastern tour focused on enhancing Vietnamese exports, particularly in the Halal food sector. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hoang Trung, who accompanied the delegation, highlighted that discussions with local leaders emphasized Vietnam's capacity to supply agricultural products to the Middle East.

 

"Vietnamese livestock products, animal feed, and agricultural produce have substantial potential to meet the needs of Middle Eastern partners," Deputy Minister Trung noted. He added that the Prime Minister proposed various cooperative methods and models to support Vietnam's role in the Halal market.

 

Among these cooperative efforts, solutions were suggested for enhancing partnerships between Vietnamese and Middle Eastern firms to ensure food security, including sending Vietnamese experts to assist with seafood farming in the region.

 

Vietnamese produce, already meeting food safety standards such as VietGap, GlobalGap, and HACCP, is well-positioned to transition to Halal standards, as many of these benchmarks align closely with Halal practices. This transition could enable Vietnam to access the US$2.7 trillion global Halal market, especially in Middle Eastern countries.

 

A Vietnamese dairy company representative observed that this expanded access to Halal markets could bolster Vietnam's agricultural and food sectors, promoting long-term export growth.

 

Zafer Gedikli, President of the World Halal Council, highlighted that with two billion Muslims worldwide, the demand for Halal products is set to grow, benefiting the global Islamic economy. To effectively enter this market, Gedikli recommended that Vietnam invest in workforce training, foster partnerships with international firms, and increase awareness of Halal standards within its industries.

 

-      Tuoi Tre News