JAKARTA, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian religious ministry will gradually obligate consumer products and services to be labeled with a halal (permissible by Islamic rules) certificate, starting on Thursday, a senior official said on Wednesday.
The ministry sets a target of 5 years to fully implement the labeling to all types of products, head of registration and certification center of halal product assurance agency (BPJPH) of religious affairs ministry Mastuki disclosed.
Food and beverage products would be in priority to comply with the rules, and others types of products such as cosmetics, drugs and other consumer goods will follow, the official revealed.
"Starting from tomorrow (Thursday) the rule will start to be applied, particularly for food and beverage products," he told local TV One in a live interview.
"During the next five years, firms will be allowed to submit an application for securing a halal certificate and undergo the process," said Mastuki.
The official cited that all products will finally have to meet with the compulsory and mandatory halal labeling rule within the next 5 years.
The ministry would accommodate those willing to submit an application to get a halal certificate by setting up more centers for registration and certification across the country, from the provincial to district levels, said Mastuki.
Demand for halal foods has edged up recently in Indonesia, the world largest Muslim country with most of its 260 million populations are Muslims. In addition to that, the Southeast Asia's biggest economy seeks to be the center of shari'a (Islamic) economic and finance centers.
According to the Indonesian central bank forecast, the country's shari'a economy will spike in 2022 with halal food alone representing more than 50 percent.
