More than 100 companies now subscribe to UAE halal accreditation
This year, 34 companies from 17 countries have applied this year, taking the total to 106 from 49 countries, said Abdulla Abdul Qader Al Maeeni, director-general of the authority.
He said this level of activity has shown that the country is becoming a hub for East-West halal trade.
“Dubai has successfully transformed into a capital of the Islamic economy," Al Maeeni said.
"We are currently working on 72 further applications from Asian countries, to make sure that they meet our halal requirements.”
Elsewhere, the authority has received applications from the United States and Canada, as well as from a number of Latin American countries including Brazil and Argentina. Food businesses in South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Australia have also applied for ESMA certification.
"In the UAE alone, we have a AED69bn (US$18.8bn) halal food industry, whose products are prepared for domestic consumption or for export and re-export to various countries around the world," Al Maeeni said.
"As a strategic hub for halal products between the East and the West, we process halal foods weighing a total of 16bn kilos, including meat and poultry. The UAE ranks first in the Middle East and North Africa in terms of the size and growth of its logistics sectors, according to official figures."
Overall halal sales are estimated to reach AED750bn this year, he added.
