Not on the menu

The canned pork luncheon meat Maling from China would neither be in the menu nor on the pallets being loaded on export ships.

Philippine producers of Halal-certified food better take notice of China’s intention to bite a big slice of the booming market for food fit for Muslim consumption.

In a report by CNBC, a forecast was made that Muslim consumers will make up more than a quarter of the world’s population by 2030 “and China wants to play an active role in feeding them.”

“Chinese companies are increasingly flexing their muscles in the burgeoning market for halal food” which was estimated to be worth US$1.6 trillion by 2018, it said.

Under Islamic precepts, halal food must free of pork, tobacco, alcohol or lipids from animals. Animals intended to be processed into halal food must also be slaughtered under religious guidelines.

China has a 26-million strong Muslim population representing 2 percent of its population. However, it is looking past its domestic market to being the dominant halal producer globally. –End-

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