Deputy Altynbek Kylchayev asked about the existence of a unified global standard for halal products.
In response, the director of the state institution "Center for the Development of the Halal Industry" under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Almaz Kairbekov, stated that Kyrgyzstan is guided by the standards established by the international organization SMIIC. He added that in 2016, Kyrgyzstan became one of the first participants of SMIIC — the Institute of Standards and Metrology of Islamic Countries, which was established under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and unites more than 50 Muslim states. These standards have been implemented as state standards and integrated into a unified system, including neighboring countries such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Kylchayev also emphasized the importance of increasing the export of halal products and improving control in marketplaces. He noted that Kyrgyzstan is significantly dependent on imports, which requires active measures to develop exports. The deputy pointed out that the global halal product market is worth 3 trillion dollars and drew attention to the fact that halal and non-halal products are often mixed on store shelves, which necessitates control.
