Indonesia calls to establish standard forhalal products in Asean

Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government has voiced a call to set up astandard for halal products in Southeast Asian countries during a meeting ofthe ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF).

"It is important to set up a halalpractice standard in the ASEAN and for AMAF to focus on cooperation in theASEAN General guidelines for Certification of Halal Food in 2019,"Indonesian Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman noted in a statement here, Monday.

Sulaiman remarked that his ministryprioritizes rural development, production centers, and halal food, among otherthings.

Minister Sulaiman led an Indonesiandelegation to the annual AMAF meeting held recently in Vietnam.

At the meeting, Indonesia reiterated itscommitment to supporting efforts to intensify food resilience and security inthe ASEAN region.

The ASEAN ministers approved the ASEANGuidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture, andForestry to promote investment in agriculture, fishery, and forestry in theregion.

The ministers adopted the ASEAN Roadmap forEnhancing the Role of Agricultural Cooperatives in the Global AgriculturalValue Chains 2018-2025 to serve as a framework to harmonize agriculturalcooperatives` legal structures and institutional arrangements within and amongASEAN member countries and share best practices.

The 40th Meeting of AMAF was held in Hanoion October 11, 2018, and chaired by Nguyen Xuan Cuong, the minister ofagriculture and rural development of Vietnam.

The 41st ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture andForestry Meeting will be organized in Brunei Darussalam in 2019.

Reporting by Muhammad Razi Rahman

Editing by Fardah Assegaf, Yoseph Haryadi