India sets new guidelines for halal meat exports, effective October 16

The guidelines cover fresh and frozen meat of cattle, sheep and goats. Notifying the conditions, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said that export of specific halal-certified meat and meat products to 15 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, will be permitted only if such products are produced or processed and/or packaged in a facility certified under the ‘Indian Conformity Assessment Scheme (I-CAS) – Halal’ of the Indian Quality Council (ICC). “Policy conditions for export of specific halal meat and meat products are hereby notified,” the DGFT said, adding that the exporter will have to provide the valid certificate to the buyer in the importing country after shipment. Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore and Turkey are also among the 15 countries. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry had last year said that all meat and meat products must be exported with “halal certification” only if they are produced, ...