The Halal Standards Committee of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the Republic of Tatarstan successfully completed the SASO audit

SASO is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s national organization for standardization, metrology, and quality.

Currently, Saudi Arabia has a three-tier accreditation system.

1. The first stage is accreditation from the GCC Accreditation Centre (GAC). In late 2023, the Halal Standards Committee applied for accreditation with GAC in order to export products from Tatarstan manufacturers to strategically important Islamic countries. The application review resulted in a visit by an audit team and an inspection by the Committee. As a result, the Committee received accreditation from the GCC Accreditation Centre (GAC) in November 2024. This certificate confirms that the Committee is recognized as a competent certification body in the Gulf countries.

2. The second stage is obtaining a SASO conformity assessment. A SASO certificate is mandatory for goods imported into Saudi Arabia. The organization is responsible for managing quality, metrology, and standards-related tasks in the country. SASO verifies the documentation and ensures that accredited organizations have a guarantor.

3. The third stage is the upcoming audit by the SFDA (Saudi Halal Center) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to complete final registration and confirm completion of the multi-stage verification system.

What is this for and why is it important? Enterprises certified by the Halal Standards Committee of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tajikistan will be able to freely enter the Saudi Arabian market. This significantly simplifies direct exports.

Export Relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia

Exporting halal products from Russia to Saudi Arabia is a promising and growing trend, particularly in the halal food segment. According to industry media, the majority of exports to Saudi Arabia are meat and poultry (chicken, turkey, beef, and lamb). Next come dairy products (milk powder, cheese, butter), grains, halal prepared foods, and vegetable oils.

According to 2024 data, halal product exports from Russia to Saudi Arabia have almost doubled, exceeding $240 million, with poultry and meat products accounting for over 85%.

Tatarstan Exports to Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is among the key importers of halal products from Tatarstan, along with the UAE, Oman, Egypt, and Algeria. For example, in 2025, halal product exports from the Republic to the Persian Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, reached $38–45 million. These are impressive figures, having almost tripled compared to 2024. Tatarstan companies working with the KSA include meat and poultry producers, dairy plants, and confectionery factories.

The following sources were used in creating this material:
RBC portal, Finmarket portal, Interfax news agency
AGROEXPORT portal, information resources

Press Service of the Halal Standards Committee of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the Republic of Tatarstan