Halal industry to create more jobs for Moros
text GANDHI KINJIYO

Hiring of Muslims in the halal industry would benefit them by addressing poverty and discrimination of Muslims in the workplace once giant food companies adapt the Muslims’ halal practices in food production.

Sheikh Salih D. Musa, an Islamic scholar from General Santos City and concurrently the secretary-general of Philippine Halal Fatwa Council and local director of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, said he was hopeful that unemployment, a plague among Moro Muslim communities, would be reduced when the country gets its slice in supplying halal-certified products to the Middle Eastern countries.

The halal industry has a wide market considering the world Muslim population of 1.2 billion and halal food worldwide valued at more than $80 billion a year.

Halal means permissible or lawful, and its opposite, haraam, literally means unlawful or forbidden. Islamic doctrine mandates that Muslims are allowed to consume only halal foods.

Meat from swine, dog, blood of animals, animals with canine and snakes are considered haraam. The council would be the certifying body for halal foods , which require slaughtering of animals in accordance with Islamic law and hygienic practice.

Once halal certified, companies should be required to hire Muslim workers in the supply and production divisions of food companies to monitor that “farm to plate” no haram components would be mixed or added in the process, Musa said.

He said they have received reports indicating that ground swine liver was being added in canned tuna products to improve its taste.

While fattening the cattle for corned beef production, for instance, Muslims must ensure that feeds must be free from any haram ingredients, like dried ground innards of swine, he said.

“In the process of producing canned meat products like beef loaf, there must be no lard or ground liver from swine that shall be secretly added in the production,” Musa said.“Often the producer does not declare this ingredient in the labels.”

Musa said that canned goods should undergo laboratory test by Muslim chemists, to determine if there were haraam components or ingredients present.

A team of Ulama, or Islamic scholars, who will comprise the halal certification body will issue “halal seal” to products that would meet international halal standards.

Halal seal marked in label will inform consumers who are Muslims that the product is fit for their consumption.

A team of representatives from government agencies led by the Department of Trade and Industry, businessmen from the National Capital Region and Musa, who represented the ulama, went to Brunei for a weeklong “Halal Familiarization Visit” and attended a two-day seminar on International Halal Products Expo 2006.

Their weeklong stay exposed them to Brunei’s standard in halal certification and production through visitation in food companies in the country.

Musa said he was hopeful that the country would soon set up a “well-equipped laboratory” that will meet international halal certification standards for them to start operating.

The Philippine Halal Fatwa Council with the Muslim Business Forum will be preparing ‘Halal Production Guideline’ to educate owners of food companies who are ready to engage in Halal production.

Jamil Olermo of the MBF said that “the halal industry, once it will penetrate the world market with Mindanao as halal hub of the country, will surely boost Philippine export and drag us into economic bliss.” (MORO TIMES)