VP Amin Explains Government's Strategic Steps to Develop the Halal Industry

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin said the current government continues to encourage and facilitate cross-sector collaboration in developing the sharia economy, including the involvement of the business world.

One of the targets is to increase the scale of the sharia economy business by strengthening the entire value chain of the halal industry in Indonesia.

“A number of programs for the development of the halal product industry have started and will be pursued in a sustainable manner,” said Ma’ruf Amin at the online launch of the Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence on Thursday.

According to him, Indonesia as a country with the largest Muslim population in the world has a passion to become the world’s halal center. To achieve these goals, the closest target that must be met is to increase the scale of sharia economic enterprises in Indonesia by increasing the quality of local products.

Therefore, a research and collaboration center is needed for the development of local products in order to meet the needs of the world halal market.

He explained the strategic steps that have been taken to develop the halal product industry, namely the development of halal industrial areas and halal zones.

He explained that currently restructuring of trade records for Indonesian halal products has been carried out, including the development of data codification of the halal industry.

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Then the development of a system and process for certification of halal and export products that is easy, efficient, and effective.

“As well as the development of substitutes for imported products and non-halal materials, including encouraging the involvement of research institutions that support the development of the halal product industry,” he explained.

Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence

Meanwhile Ma’ruf Amin also appreciated the launch of the Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence (MCoE). This, he said, would have a positive impact on the development of halal products, including the fulfillment of global markets around the world.

“This program is in line with the government’s strategic steps in developing the halal product industry,” he said.

Furthermore, the Vice President outlined several work plans that would be carried out by MCoE, including collaboration with the academic community and research institutions to produce innovations and products needed by the world’s Muslim consumers.

In addition, the development and acceleration of the empowerment of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which recently faced heavy impacts due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“Through the synergy of various programs such as partnerships with other sectoral strategic organizations, agencies and associations, the Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence is expected to make Indonesian MSMEs move again and develop into part of the global value chain, especially Unilever global products. ” said the Vice President.

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On the same occasion, the Vice President also appealed to the strengthening of the halal industry to cover all existing potential industries.

Apart from consumed products such as food and beverages, industries that need to be strengthened include pharmaceuticals and traditional medicines, agricultural products and protein products, Muslim friendly tourism, fashion, handicrafts, and other creative products. This is because these industries are one of the supporting factors for the movement of the national economy.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic like today, the development of this potential sector is very much needed to encourage national economic recovery,” he said.

The Vice President advised that in the future the programs carried out by MCoE could be followed by the business world so that the Indonesian halal industry ecosystem would be stronger and could lead the global sharia economy.

“In the future, I hope that the Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence program will be followed by other global halal industry players, by taking concrete and implementative steps to make Indonesia a global hub for the world’s halal products,” the Vice President concluded.

Previously, the President Director of PT. Unilever Indonesia Tbk. Ira Noviarti conveyed that this MCoE is a form of Unilever Indonesia’s seriousness in producing a series of products and programs that are relevant to the needs of Indonesian Muslim consumers and also the world. She also hopes that in the future MCoE can become an inspiration for Global Unilever in developing halal products.

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“The Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence based in Indonesia will be a model for the global Unilever market. Because Indonesia is a market where Muslim consumers are very diverse, very dynamic, and continue to grow very significantly, “said Ira.

“In the future, the Unilever Muslim Center of Excellence will be able to produce blueprints (blueprints) that will benefit Muslim markets in countries other than Indonesia. As well as encouraging the volume of Indonesian exports to various regions of the world, ” she continued.

MCoE is a form of Unilever Indonesia’s commitment in supporting government programs as an effort to advance the nation’s economy through the sharia economic sector.

MCoE carries the spirit of “Halal Collaboration Hub” in collaboration with six Unilever research centers in the United States, England, the Netherlands, China, India and Indonesia. MCoE is also committed to accelerating access to information starting from product development ideas (inspire), creation (create), to use by consumers (experience). (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)