Halal certificate not enough, meat producers need to avail certification from QCI too: Ministry of Commerce

On April 6, the Government of India’s (GoI) Ministry of Commerce and Industry notified guidelines for providing Halal certification for meat and meat products, especially for export purposes. The notification stated that facilities producing, processing and packing meat and meat products in India need to avail of a valid certification from the Board of Quality Control of India (QCI). Furthermore, the producers, suppliers and exporters of meat and meat products from India must meet the standards of the importing countries despite the Halal certification.

The GoI called for suggestions on the draft guidelines for Halal certification for meat and meat products, as the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) proposed, in January. The DGFT is an arm of GoI’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry dealing with import-export-related matters.

The DGFT, in its notification, existing certification bodies must receive accreditation from the National Accreditation Board of Certification Bodies (NABCB) for the Indian Conformity Assessment Scheme (i-CAS). The DGFT’s notification states, “Meat and meat products shall be allowed to be exported as halal certified only if produced, processed and packaged in a facility having certification under the i-CAS of the Quality Council of India, issued by the certification body duly accredited by the NABCB as per guidelines issued and amended from time to time.”

“i-CAS Halal and the guidelines can be accessed at https://gin.org/i-cas The procedure for export of non-halal certified meat and meat products will remain unchanged,” the DGFT’s notification read.

Furthermore, the notification states that “The export consignment(s) to countries where there is a Regulation on Halal, the producer, supplier/exporter shall also meet the importing country’s requirements/regulations, as applicable, and shall hold valid certificate(s) issued by Halal certification bodies approved under the national halal system of the importing country. In such cases, the Halal certification under i-CAS Halal shall be initially voluntary on the part of the producer/supplier/exporter.”

The DGFT’s notification stated that the existing Halal certification bodies must seek accreditation from the NABCB for i-CAS Halal within six months’ time. The notification said, “All existing Halal Certification Bodies shall have six months’ time from the date of issue of this notification to seek accreditation from NABCB for i-CAS Halal.”

“All existing Export Units, including those already registered with APEDA as members, shall have six months’ time from the date of issue of this notification, for registering themselves at dedicated and integrated online portal for meat exports developed by APEDA,” the notification added.

The notification concluded, ” The export will, however, be subject to the Foreign Trade Policy. as issued/amended by DGFT from time to time.”

Preference for Halal Meat

In Islam, animal blood consumption is taboo. In order to prevent it, the animal needs to be bled to death by gasping such that maximum blood is expelled. It is done by slitting the windpipe partly and letting the animal bleed profusely as it gasps for breath and writhes to death in extreme agony. It has roots in the desert life, where the dearth of water prevails. Expelling maximum blood reduces disease infection through blood, needs less water for cleaning and easy disposal of the blood.

Muslims insist not to consume meat prepared in any other way. As the number of Muslim customers increased considerably and with the growth of their identity politics, demand for halal meat started growing. The long-distance travel agencies, the mass exporters of meat at the national and international levels, started offering halal meat to meet their demands.

Since the common meat consumer had no such preferred choice, they too were offered halal meat dishes. Most of the Airlines, including Indian companies silently started serving halal meat items on the whole. Gullible Hindus did not bother to demand the zatkaa preparations during air or train travels.

Halal Certification from Private Organisations

It is pertinent to note that Halal certification exists in India, however, it is not regulated. The companies receive certification from private organisations. Furthermore, these private organisations providing Halal certifications are recognised in Middle Eastern countries, therefore, making it important for Indian companies to avail of such certification if they want to sell their products in Middle Eastern countries.

The organisations providing Halal certification include Halal India Private Limited, Ulama-e-Maharashtra, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust and others. It is pertinent to note that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has been accused of providing legal aid to terrorists. Furthermore, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has provided assistance to about 700 terror accused, as per a New Indian Express report.

Halal Products Funding Terror

The demand for halal preparations came in handy for Muslim organisations to generate a funding resource not only in Bharat but in many non-Muslim countries around the world. The present author’s full-length article titled ‘Funding Terrorists Officially” published in the Organiser (July 12, 2015) described how the “Halal Tax” paid by major Australian food product establishments generated large funds.

Those were utilised to fund ISIS activities through official channels. Even now, the procedure is simple. The Muslim customers motivated by strategy, started demanding Halal meat and other Halal-branded products, including even soft drinks. The commercial establishments succumbed to the pressure for non-meat products too, which in fact is not necessary. Who will certify a particular product as halal preparation? It needed a recognised Muslim organisation to depute representatives to be there to oversee and certify. The Muslim organisations, in turn, started deputing Mullas or religious preachers, who were certified as proficient in the Islamic texts and procedures. The person on deputation received payment officially. There is a convention that Muslims are to be given priority to work on the halal production shop floors.

These companies made no hue and cry about the payment, and officially the halal tax funds were deposited in the coffers of the Muslim organisations. These companies even developed their Halal brands which Muslim customers could verify and purchase. It served many purposes, including employment generation for the burgeoning Muslim population in the respective countries, including Australia. The fund expenditures were not critically audited because that would offend the sensitivities of the Muslim minority. It is very vocal for decades and adept at playing the victim card. Large-scale exports of meat and beef from Australia to Islamic countries, of course, needed Halal certification on payment. That was how terrorist activities are funded even now in many countries.