21 - Saudi government to assist ARMM on halal certification

Sabado, Setyembre 22, 2007 6:52:20 PM



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21 - Saudi government to assist ARMM on halal certification

Provincial
Government officials of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have committed to assist the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on their application for Halal Certification when they participated in the ARMM business conference, which was held early this month in Cotabato City.

Vicente Lao, chair of the Mindanao Business Council, disclosed in a recent media forum that KSA officials who were joined by Sheik Fayez Hammed Zainy during the ARMM Business Conference expressed commitment to help the ARMM have its Halal Certification get the much-needed approval that will be recognized internationally.

He also said that private groups led by Zainy are expected to revisit Mindanao in November where they will bring with them Saudi-based Halal certifying officers to check on the current ARMM Halal Certification.

Lao said, once the certifying officers determine that the ARMM Halal Certification is good, Zainy, who owns Abbar and Zainy Corporation, known to be the 4th biggest cold chain company in the world, will immediately ship poultry products from here to KSA.

Halal chicken, he said, is one project the ARMM is embarking on, and targets the Middle East market where the industry per year is worth several billions.

The Middle East, he said, can only produce 50 percent and half of that is being sourced out from other areas like Brazil and France.

"Our chance of getting a slice of the market is there and if we don't have plans for this, somebody else will," he said. (PNA)