Moroccan expert: Global halal economy falls far below its potential

The fact that the main exporters of Islamic products are countries with predominantly non-Muslim populations presents a serious challenge, Zaynab El Bernoussi, Interim Chair of the Humanities Department at the Africa Institute of Morocco"s Global Studies University, said at the 2nd Azerbaijan Halal Business (AZHAB) Forum in Baku, Report informs.

The official emphasized that Islamic countries must contribute more significantly to the halal industry than their current role suggests: "The main importers of halal products are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Türkiye, Indonesia, and Malaysia-all countries with majority Muslim populations. But when we look at the export structure, we see the opposite. There"s a clear need for balance in this area," El Bernoussi noted.

She added that the global halal economy is currently operating far below its potential: "Although nearly a quarter of the world"s population is Muslim, their share in global trade is only 3.5%. This reflects a major imbalance. Part of the problem lies in lagging halal certification-many products still lack certification. Another issue is the limited recognition of halal labels in some countries, particularly within the European Union."

The Moroccan expert also stressed that companies adopting halal standards and undergoing certification is a crucial step toward market access: "The halal sector consists of six main segments. The largest share-around 67%-belongs to Islamic finance. Next comes the food sector, which has become almost synonymous with the halal concept and accounts for roughly 16% of the total. Other segments include travel and tourism, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and additional industries," she concluded.