Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani companies have begun applying to GIMDES, the association for the certification and control of food and consumer goods, which has been operating since 2005 in Turkey, to confirm the compliance of their products with halal standards. The certification will expand their options for exports.

The association mostly issues certificates to Turkish companies, but the document according to which compliance with halal standards is inspected and controlled is also granted to Bulgarian, Russian, German, Kazakh and South Korean companies, chief auditor Ali Kaygysyz, a member of the GIMDES Board of Directors, told Azerbaijan's Trend news agency.

"Deveci Broyler is among the Azerbaijani companies which have applied to us. With our certificate the company can export its goods to Turkey and other countries," Kaygysyz said.

Deveci Broyler is a producer of chicken products of Seba brand in Azerbaijan. Potential importers of Deveci Broyler's products include Russia, which imports chicken in large quantities, and the countries of Central Asia.

Shareholders of Deveci Broyler are the Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC), holding a 25 percent stake, Baku Investment Company, with 74 percent, and two private individuals.

According to GIMDES, a certificate is initially issued for one year, and then it is renewed for two years every time. A fee in the amount of 1,500 to 3,500 lira (as of October 28, the rate is 1,7915 TL/USD) is charged for the certification.

"Certification of halal products was the purpose of the organization," Kaygysyz said. "We started the certification of halal products in 2009. About 280 companies have applied to us to obtain the certificate until now. After the issuance of the certificate we conduct periodic monitoring of their products. We inspect products in specialized laboratories twice a year and install 24-hour camera surveillance at slaughterhouses."

In case of any inconsistency with halal standards the certificate is withdrawn.

The first three state halal standards in Azerbaijan were approved and put into effect on August 1. These standards define the general requirements for the production, transportation, storage and sale of halal meat products, the general rules for the use of the term halal, and the general requirements for halal food standards.

The State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patents developed these standards jointly with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

A halal technical committee will be established under the State Committee, Chairman of the Committee, Ramiz Hasanov, said.

According to Hasanov, there is a halal standard in the country, but some products are not fully compliant to the standard.

Azerbaijan is also expected to adopt standards on food for pre-school institutions and secondary schools.

Work to develop these standards is underway jointly with the Ministries of Health and Education.