Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the EU, reaching a total sales volume of €3.6 billion.
Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand hold Halal Forum 2025 to promote joint halal economy
2025-07-17
MELBOURNE — The Halal Products Assurance Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BPJPH RI) held the Indonesia-Australia-New Zealand Halal Forum 2025 in Melbourne, Australia on July 11, 2025. The event, part of BPJPH’s initiative to establish the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Halal Forum, brought together representatives from 15 foreign halal institutions (LHLNs) from Australia and New Zealand.
Representatives from the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Melbourne and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) also attended the forum. The forum provided an opportunity to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and discuss challenges and opportunities in the area of halal product assurance collaboration, including mutual recognition of halal certificates and halal standardization. The meeting also provided a platform for LHLNs to share their opinions and perspectives, as well as their commitment to jointly developing halal trade and industry.
"The Australia-New Zealand Halal Forum is an important cross-border halal forum that aims to strengthen the regional halal ecosystem and enhance Indonesia's role in the global halal economy. This is especially true now that halal has become a competitive advantage in the global halal ecosystem. Therefore, the Australia-New Zealand Halal Forum has once again become crucial," said Babe Haikal Hasan, better known as the Minister of Halal Affairs, in Melbourne on Friday (July 11, 2025).
Babe Haikal continued, "The immense influence of halal standards (represented by halal certification) is closely linked to the fact that halal has become a universal standard. In fact, halal has evolved into a lifestyle, embodying traceability, trustworthiness, and transparency. As a product standard, halal food is traceable, trustworthy, and transparent from upstream to downstream."
“Halal has become a lifestyle and a modern civilization. Some people in different countries even consider Halal to be a symbol of health, cleanliness and quality,” Baby Haikal continued.
Babe Haikal further stated that currently, Indonesia's halal product trade still lags far behind countries such as China, Brazil, the United States, and France. However, BPJPH remains optimistic about improving the quality and quantity of Indonesia's halal exports. Halal-certified products in Indonesia have increased significantly, currently reaching approximately 7.7 million units. This number is expected to increase with halal certification becoming mandatory on October 18, 2026.
“There is a huge amount of halal trade going on. However, we have only captured a small part of it. ASEAN has a population of nearly one billion, a quarter of which is in Indonesia. This means that if we take even a small step forward in implementing halal regulations, we can achieve our role in promoting Indonesian halal products to the global community,” he added.
To capitalize on this important opportunity, plans to develop a halal certification system, including harmonization with halal standards such as ISO, will be the focus and goal of the upcoming BPJPH RI.
The forum also successfully fostered positive collaboration among LHLNs in the Pacific and Oceania regions, with all participants expressing their commitment to strengthening halal certification standards and promoting more sustainable growth for the halal industry and economies. The BPJPH RI is poised to lead and guide the harmonization of global halal standards, creating opportunities for the broader halal trade chain and ensuring the integrity of halal products worldwide.