Increasing halal certification is one of Indonesia's efforts to become the number one producer of halal products in the world by 2024.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs reports that the achievement of halal certification in Indonesia has increased since the certification authority was taken over by the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH).

Based on data from the Halal Information System (SiHalal), during the period 2019-2022, 749,971 products were halal-certified, or an average of 250,000 per year. Previously, the average number of halal-certified products per year was only 100,000. This means an increase of about 2.5 times per year.

BPJPH starting on 2 January re-opened the Free Halal Certification (Sehati) program. The program is also different from the previous year. Sehati 2023 opens throughout the year.

"We open 1 million free halal certification quotas with a self-declaration mechanism," said BPJPH Head M Aqil Irham, Sunday, 1 January.

The Head of BPJH hopes that business actors can take advantage of the Sehati 2023 program. He reminded that the staging of the halal certification obligation phase 1 will end on 17 October 2024. According to the provisions, after 17 October 2024, food and beverage businesses, slaughter products, and slaughter services, must be halal-certified. Sanctions will be imposed if they do not have a halal certificate.

Meanwhile, Head of the Halal Registration and Certification Center Siti Aminah said that business actors can access http://ptsp.halal.go.id/ to register for Sehati 2023. "Business actors can create an account first. Apart from the http://ptsp.halal.go.id/ page, halal certification registration can also be done through the Pusaka application," said Siti Aminah.

Pusaka is an application that presents various features of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' online services for the community, for example, Hajj registration, marriage registration, halal certification, and others. This application can be downloaded on Playstore for android users or on Appstore for iOS users.

The conditions for Sehati 2023 registration refer to the Decree of the Head of BPJPH number 150 of 2022, as follows:

1. Products are not at risk or use ingredients that have been confirmed halal;
2. A production process that ensures halalness and is simple;
3. Has a Business Identification Number (NIB);
4. Have annual sales (turnover) of a maximum of Rp500 million as evidenced by an independent statement;
5. Having a location, place, and halal product process equipment (PPH) that is separate from the location, place and process equipment for non-halal products;
6. Has or does not have a distribution permit (PIRT/MD/UMOT/UKOT), Certificate of Good Hygiene Sanitation (SLHS) for food/beverage products with a shelf life of less than seven days, or other industrial licenses for products produced from related agencies/agencies;
7. Products are produced in the form of goods as detailed in the attachment to this decision;
8. The ingredients used have been confirmed halal;
9. Does not use hazardous materials;
10. Has been verified for halalness by the halal product process assistant;
11. The type of product/group of products that are certified halal does not contain elements of slaughtered animals unless they come from producers or slaughterhouses/poultry slaughterhouses that are halal certified;
12. Using production equipment with simple technology or done manually and/or semi-automatically (home business not factory business);
13. The product preservation process is simple and does not use a combination of more than one preservation method;
14. Willing to complete documents for applying for halal certification with an online self-statement mechanism through SiHalal.

Some general requirements that must be fulfilled before business actors get halal certificates include:

1. Business Actor Data

In issuing halal certification, BPJPH requires business actor data which includes a Business Identification Number (NIB). However, if they do not have NIB, business actors can prove with other licenses such as NPWP, SIUP, IUMK, IUI, NKV and so on. Then, the halal supervisor attaches a copy of the KTP, curriculum vitae, a copy of the halal supervisor certificate and a copy of the halal supervisor determination decision.

    2. Name and Type of Product

Must have a product name and type that matches the name and type of product to be certified halal.

    3. List of Products, Ingredients and Processing

Raw materials, additives, and auxiliary materials must also be attached to fulfil this requirement. In addition, the product processing process which includes purchasing, receiving, storing the materials used, processing, packaging, product storage and distribution must be attached.

    4. Halal Assurance System Document

This document is a management system that is compiled, implemented and maintained by companies holding halal certificates to maintain the continuity of the halal production process.

Writer: Kristantyo Wisnubroto
Editors: Ratna Nuraini/Elvira Inda Sari/Sugiarti
Translator: Irvina Falah