Agri-exports body removes ‘halal’ certification from Red Meat Manual

The agri-exports body, which works under Ministry of Commerce and Industry, denied government's involvement in the decision

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has removed the word halal from its ‘Red Meat Manual’ following protests from Hindu right-wing groups and Sikh organisations against 'halal' certification for products in the country, The Indian Express reported.

The agriculture exports body clarified that this decision had no involvement of any government body. “It is a requirement by a majority of the importing countries. Halal certification agencies are accredited directly by respective importing countries. No government agency has any role in this,” it stated.

The APEDA, which functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, earlier had on its manual, “animals are slaughtered strictly according to halal method to meet the requirement of Islamic countries”. The manual now says, “the animals are slaughtered according to the requirement of importing country/importer”.

Sources in the body told the publication that the main reason behind the change was that using the word ‘halal’ made it seem like it was mandatory for all meat exports.

Other statements deleted from the manual are, “The animals are slaughtered by halal system under strict vigilance of (a) recognised and registered Islamic body as per the tenets of Islamic Shariyat. The certificate for halal is issued by the representative of registered Islamic body under whose supervision the slaughter is conducted in order to meet the requirement of (the) importing country.”

India is a buffalo meat exporter to many Islamic countries that only allow the import of halal-certified meat. Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Myanmar and the UAE are some of the countries that India exports buffalo meat to.

Harinder Sikka, one of the main campaigners against the certification, told IE that this was just the first step. “We will continue our campaign. Halal meat is haram for us Sikhs,” he said.

Sikh activists have also approached the government and the civil aviation ministry to stop serving halal meat on commercial flights in India.