Jakarta (VNA)𒊎 – The Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) has stated that more than 50 countries are so far intent on cooperating with Indonesia in halal product assurance.

Head of the BPJPH’s Halal Product Assurance Development and Monitoring Centre Dzikro said that some of these countries include Singapore, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Korea, and Uruguay, the Antara news agency reported. He noted that more than 17 countries have established cooperation agreements with Indonesia while 28 foreign religious institutions are assessed to establish cooperation in the field of halal product assurance. The cooperation agreements have reflected the high level of enthusiasm among the world's business players regarding Indonesia's halal product assurance. That trend is influenced by the increasingly widespread development of the halal lifestyle across the world, he said, adding that halal lifestyle does not only apply to Muslims but also all other humans, regardless of religion, tribe, nationality, and where a person lives. Halal product assurance had experienced a shift in meaning, which is not only a religious service, but rather has expanded its function as an added value to products that have an impact on the economy. Starting from October 2024, all products imported, circulated and traded in Indonesia need to be certified as halal or will be marked as non-halal. Over the past four years, more than 3.4 million products in Indonesia have been certified as halal./.