3rd Halal Products Fair Held in Opatija
"The 3rd World Halal Products Fair took place in Croatia this year."
Turkey attended the 3rd edition of the halal fair held in Croatia to mark the 100th anniversary of the country's recognition of Islam. Organizers pointed to how quickly this market is growing and underlined that its potential is still very wide.
Around 100 businesses operate in Croatia's halal market, and HALAL-certified hotels, restaurants, and other organizations have made Croatia one of the sector's key target countries. The President of Croatia said he believes the Islamic Community of Croatia will keep supporting Croatian companies in entering the markets of Muslim-majority countries, and added that he would continue to back this work personally.
In a country where Christians form the majority and Muslims a minority, the culture of peaceful coexistence was described as an example for Europe, and it was noted that people who know and understand each other can build productive partnerships.
Halal Is Not Only a Matter for Islam
Turkey joined the fair as partner country. At the event, it was pointed out that halal is not only a religious matter for Islam, but also one of the concepts shaping international trade. The word means "permitted, not forbidden for consumption" under Islamic rules, and alongside this definition it also signals hygiene, health, and quality in products. It is a guarantee not just for Muslims, but for every consumer, the speakers said.
Halal-certified products and services are growing in importance by the day. The food-product trade volume within halal certification has reached 1.5 trillion USD, and the global halal-product market has reached 3.6 trillion USD. It was noted that the Muslim world does not yet speak with one voice on halal certification, and this fragmentation is a serious obstacle to halal-certified trade.
Turkey supports the work of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), set up under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, to certify halal standards. The speakers said SMIIC's mission on behalf of the Islamic world is considered highly valuable, because certifying products and services to SMIIC standards protects consumers, gives them accurate information, and supports the growth of international trade and financial cooperation.
The Turkish representative, Metin, invited all attending countries to become SMIIC members and partners. He said a shared language and framework developed through SMIIC would act as a driver of trade and financial progress between Muslim-majority nations.
Turkish Entrepreneurs Recognize Croatia's Potential
Metin said Turkish entrepreneurs are well aware of Croatia's potential and that Croatia is eager to attract more investment as part of its development. As a government, we direct Turkish investment toward Croatia and continue to support it. We see room for cooperation between Turkish and Croatian firms in agricultural production, tourism, ready-made clothing, textiles, energy, transport, and shipbuilding, he said.
Croatia was cited as a regional leader in this industry segment, and the stated goal of the fair was to bring together organizations from other parts of the world. Businesses from 11 countries presented their products at the fair, which also featured conference panels and drew delegations from 30 different countries.
The Mufti of Croatia presented plaques to representatives of halal-certified companies in Croatia in recognition of their support for the halal-products market.
Partner Country: Turkey
As partner country, Turkey joined senior representatives and organizations from Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and other countries at the event.
The fair, which closed on November 4, also hosted panels on Challenges in the Halal Market, Halal Products Market and New Global Trends, Islamic Banking, and Halal Tourism.
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