Expanding the Scope of Halal Across the Agro-Industrial Sector

During a public meeting in the Zhetysu region, Kazakhstan’s Head of State emphasized the importance of applying Halal standards across the domestic agro-industrial sector—not only to meat and dairy, but also to cereals, fruits, vegetables, and other food products. This initiative is seen as a crucial step to strengthen Kazakhstan’s foothold in the international market.

Building a Comprehensive Halal Framework

Currently, Kazakhstan has established 13 national Halal standards, with 16 more under development this year. Of these, five are expected to be adopted nationally and eleven at the interstate level. The new standards cover areas such as Halal product guidelines, accreditation requirements for certification bodies and laboratories, Halal management systems, and food chain safety.

These standards are being developed by the Technical Committee 101 “Food Safety of Food, Halal Products, and Services” in collaboration with Kazstandart under the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Once approved, they will be made publicly accessible through Kazstandart’s information platforms, allowing consumers, manufacturers, and service providers to review and apply them.

International Recognition and Strategic Partnerships

In May 2022, Kazstandart received accreditation from the Emirates International Accreditation Center (EIAC) to certify Halal products, marking a significant step toward accessing Gulf markets with safe and high-quality goods. Furthermore, in October 2022, the Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of understanding with Qatar’s General Organization for Standardization. This agreement aims to enhance cooperation in standardization, conformity assessment, and metrology, further enabling Kazakhstan to expand its Halal export capacity.

The Growing Global Halal Economy

According to 2021 data, the global Halal economy is valued at several trillion dollars across major sectors:

• Food products: USD 2 trillion
• Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics: USD 160 billion
• Islamic fashion: USD 280 billion
• Tourism: USD 194 billion
• Media and entertainment: USD 222 billion
• Islamic finance: USD 2.89 trillion

These figures underscore the growing global demand for Halal-compliant goods and services, presenting Kazakhstan with vast export opportunities.

Current and Upcoming Halal Standards

Kazakhstan’s existing standards include technical regulations for Halal meat processing, catering, tourism, cosmetics, logistics, warehousing, and retail systems. New standards in progress will expand to include conformity assessments, Halal quality management systems, certification requirements, and detailed guidelines for Halal supply chains—from transportation to retail.

With these developments, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a key player in the global Halal trade, ensuring its products meet both international standards and Islamic principles.

Original Article:

Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2025, October 25). Kazakhstan is actively implementing Halal standards for the export of products. Retrieved from https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mti/press/news/details/445619?lang=en