Becoming the bread basket of Muslim Asia

In the context of Australia's neck of the woods, the study claimed, "key Halal markets include India, which has mammoth size food safety concerned population that….encompasses over 177 million Muslims and China (with) 23 million Muslims".

In order to appeal to Muslim shoppers, both at home and abroad, Australian food growers and manufacturers need to have their products certified as Halal. This means an Islamic authority, such as the Islamic Co-ordinating Council of Victoriamust be paid to monitor and supervise the Halal food processes, and it must be assured that:

• the foods or ingredients do not contain any component or product of animals that are Haram or products of animals that are not slaughtered in accordance with Shari'a Law;
• the food does not contain any ingredient that is considered impure according to Shari'a;
• the food is safe;
• foodstuffs are not prepared, processed or manufactured using equipment that is contaminated with impure elements; and
• during distribution, the food is physically separated from non-Halal foods.

So how should Australian producers go about marketing their products (fresh or processed) to our Muslims neighbors?

Like most aspects of commerce, this is just another cost of doing business if businesses want access to certain markets.

More to the point, Australian vendors must market Halal certification on goods sold not as religious markings but rather as references to quality assurance. Assurances that the food is healthy. Assurances that they were manufactured or grown in a safe and hygienic environment and assurances that the foods are nutritious.

By doing so, not only are the needs of Muslims met but such a strategy celebrates the notion that Halal is not exclusively for the followers of Islam, but rather it is inclusive and welcomes members of all faiths to join in the consumption. The concept is known as Halal Toyyibban.

The challenge for Australia is not to merely market Halal foodstuffs from Provinsi Papua Barat abutting Papua New Guinea to Pune in western India.

The challenge is to market convenience.