ISTANBUL

The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and Turkey's Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD) signed on Thursday two agreements to improve halal standardization capacity and awareness in the region.

The pacts, signed at MUSIAD's headquarters in Istanbul, saw the participation of heads of both institutions, Abdurrahman Kaan and Ihsan Ovut.

While one agreement targets to organize joint events for awareness in the field, the other one aims to create a monitoring and traceability system for halal conformity assessment activities.

The accord is also meant to enable firms to adapt halal standards at all stages in manufacturing products and providing services.

Kaan said cleaning and eating habits prescribed in Islam were important for human health.

"Unfortunately, the consciousness in the Islamic world is low regarding halal production and consumption," he said.

Speaking of the coronavirus outbreak, which surfaced last December and has claimed over 3,200 lives globally, he said there were claims that the disease originated from wild animals.

The importance of halal eating and halal slaughtering is being understood now, he added.