A shrimp processing line. Many Vietnamese agricultural products have met food hygiene and safety standards and Halal certification requirements. Photo thuysanvietnam.com

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam boasts great potential and advantages for developing the Halal industry, and the Vietnamese Government has paid special attention to supporting local businesses to join the global Halal market.

Deputy Foreign Minister Phạm Quang Hiệu made the statement at a conference on promoting international co-operation for developing Việt Nam's Halal industry held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on Tuesday in Hà Nội.

The conference, which was in both in-person and online forms, aimed to assess the current situation and prospects of the Halal industry in Việt Nam, discuss ways to promote co-operation and take advantage of international resources to expand the presence of Vietnamese enterprises in production and supply chains of Halal products and services worldwide, and work out orientations for the comprehensive and sustainable development of Việt Nam's Halal industry until 2030.

Deputy Minister of MARD Lê Quốc Doanh said many Vietnamese agricultural products have met food hygiene and safety standards and Halal certification requirements, and are favoured by Muslims.

According to representatives from some localities and businesses, Vietnamese firms have faced difficulties in producing and exporting Halal products due to a lack of information about the market and Halal standards, and high costs for production lines.

Việt Nam does not yet have its own trade promotion mechanism for Halal products, and it is also facing stiff competition from many countries with similar export structures, they stressed.

International attendees and experts, and representatives from businesses pointed out problems that Việt Nam is facing in developing the Halal market; and shared experience and strategies for the sector.

They recommended that Việt Nam should make the most of international cooperation and resources, especially with Muslim and ASEAN countries, to support the development of Halal products and services, thus participating more deeply in the global Halal market.

Việt Nam should have policies to attract foreign investment in building Halal production facilities meeting international standards; and help connect Vietnamese businesses with prestigious Halal certification organisations and partners around the world, they said. — VNS