Entering Saudi Arabia: New opportunities for the food industry

The Halal Standards Committee of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan has expanded its international recognition: it has received accreditation from the Saudi Halal Center of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This accreditation significantly simplifies direct export processes and expands prospects for international cooperation. Certified companies can now freely enter the Saudi market.

To gain recognition in Saudi Arabia, the Halal Standards Committee of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tajikistan completed a complex three-stage accreditation process.

The first stage was accreditation from the GCC Accreditation Centre (GAC), which was received in November 2024. This document confirmed that the Committee is recognized as a competent certification body in the Persian Gulf countries.

At the end of 2023, an application for accreditation with the GAC was submitted with the aim of exporting its products to strategically important countries in the Islamic world. The application review resulted in a visit by the audit team to the Republic. The GCC Accreditation Center (GAC) auditors highly praised the work of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic’s Muslim community in developing the halal industry. 

The second stage was the receipt of the SASO conformity assessment in February of this year. SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization) is the government organization of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for standardization, metrology, and quality. SASO certification is mandatory for goods imported into Saudi Arabia. 

Finally, the successful completion of the third stage—the SFDA audit and accreditation of the Saudi Halal Center—was announced. SFDA (Saudi Food and Drug Authority) is the food and drug authority of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Halal Center is a subordinate organization of the SFDA. The organization is responsible for certifying halal products in accordance with Islamic standards in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

To successfully pass the multi-stage verification system, the Halal Standards Committee of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan carried out extensive and meticulous work. The process included a thorough review of international documentation, rigorous audits by international colleagues, and participation in significant international summits and specialized forums.

As a reminder, in February of this year, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Vasil Shaikhraziev and Chairman of the Halal Standards Committee Abbyas hazrat Shlyaposhnikov met with Abdulaziz Al-Rashoodi, CEO of the Saudi Halal Center. At the meeting, the activities of the Halal Standards Committee were discussed, and the guests provided a detailed explanation of the certification of goods that meet international halal standards.

Press Service of the Halal Standards Committee