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The 8th edition of the popular series of exhibitions, “Thailand Halal Assembly 2021,” was held on the 14th and 15th of December 2021, with the theme “A Virtual Way to an Actual Halal World.”
At https://virtualthailandhalalassembly.com, you can join the event in real-time or later. The event advanced Thai halal by showcasing halal-related science and technologies that can be used to generate income for Thai people and boost the country’s economy, such as pushing for 100% halal plant-based foods.
Assoc Prof Dr Winai Dahlan, Director of the halal Science Center, explained the marketing potential of halal products, “Muslim markets play a significant role in the economy due to global population and economic potential. 2,000 billion Muslims (29 percent) make up the world’s population of 7,800 billion, which is expected to grow to 2,800 billion (29.67 percent) by 2050. Meanwhile, the global halal food market is worth around $1 trillion, or 13 trillion baht. The Thai halal market, which includes both domestic and international transactions, is worth around 40 billion baht and grew by about 10% during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Halal Science Center at Chulalongkorn University collaborated with the Central Islamic Council of Thailand, the Halal Standard Institute of Thailand, and the Standard and Metrology Institute of Islamic Countries (SMIIC) to present the 8th “Thailand Halal Assembly 2021: A Virtual Way To An Actual Halal World,” which took place from 14 to 15 December 2021 at https://virtualthailandhalalassembly.com, in accordance with government regulations.
The Thailand Halal Assembly included:
The 14th Halal Science Industry and Business (HASIB) and the International Halal Science and Technology Conference (IHSATEC) 2021 were held online to encourage learning and knowledge of scientific innovations and technologies in order to make “halal science” more widely known among Muslim scientists, non-Muslim scientists, and the general public. Outstanding scientific research and development papers from Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Thailand were presented at the event.
With over 48 countries in attendance at the International Halal Standard and Certification Convention (IHSACC2021), 16 experts shared their visions and experiences in regards to “the future of halal industry and business” under the theme “Challenges and Opportunities of Halal Standards and Conformity Assessment Activities after COVID-19: The Next Normal.”
The Virtual Thailand International Halal Expo 2021, TIHEX2021, brought together over 200 entrepreneurs with over 100 international standard halal food and beverage, supplements, cosmetics, clothing, and fashion products, as well as Islamic financial institutes and travel agencies, to provide a fantastic shopping experience and the opportunity to connect with future business opportunities.
This year, “plant-based foods,” or alternative protein products made from vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, mushrooms, and seaweed, were a particular highlight. They go through a series of steps to mimic the taste and appearance of meat. Plant-based foods are growing in popularity, with a current market value of $166 million and a 10-20% annual growth rate.
Many people believe that all plant-based foods are halal, but this isn’t always true. So far, 186 non-halal ingredients have been discovered in plant-based foods, the majority of which are colorings and seasonings. As a result, the event clarified the situation.
Alongkorn Ponlaboot, Counsellor to the Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, presided over the opening ceremony of the Thailand Halal Assembly 2021. He also took part in a special discussion with over 15,000 viewers on “strategic reformation of Thailand’s halal market to unlock new opportunities and add value to agricultural products.” At least 50,000 people attended the event, which boosted halal market growth by making 100 percent halal an especially important component for plant-based food entrepreneurs, and saw several Thai startups achieve unicorn status in the sector.
“The event is passing on halal-based scientific knowledge to help SMEs affected by the pandemic so that they can recover,” concluded Assoc Prof Dr Winai. “Altogether it is going a long way towards improving the economy and developing the sector in accordance with government policy to spread income evenly.”
