Indonesia’s Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is preparing free halal certification for around 500,000 businesses to help meet the mandatory halal certification requirement by October 2026.
Minister of MSMEs Maman Abdurrahman said on Saturday that the program is being implemented in cooperation with the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) to expand access to halal certification.
He said halal certification can help increase consumer confidence and expand market opportunities for MSMEs.
The government is also strengthening entrepreneurship programs and developing the Sapa UMKM platform, which is expected to serve around 57 million MSMEs across Indonesia.
Through the platform, MSMEs can access financing, certification, business licensing, training, and business development information. Indonesia which houses the largest muslim population in the world is aiming to become a regional leader in Halal industry giving direct competition to Malaysia’s dominance.
