For farmers aiming to tap into the halaal market, understanding certification, maintaining humane practices, and upholding stringent traceability are key components of success. Mohammad Ghoor, founder of The Meat Cart, shares his insights.
Halaal or halal, an Arabic term meaning “permissible” or “lawful”, encompasses specific criteria for animal products.
Ghoor explained, “From my understanding, halaal meat is like the animals that we’re allowed to consume. So pork is excluded from being halaal, as it is like within the Jewish framework and some Christians as well believe in that. So we mainly, from the halaal side, the main lines that we do is chicken, beef, and lamb.”
He underscored that the method of slaughter is fundamental. “When you’re making something halaal, it’s all about the slaughter process. So the animal must be slaughtered for human consumption, and it must be slaughtered in the name of God. If you’re slaughtering it for the benefit of somebody else, that will make it not halaal.”
The animal’s welfare is also taken into account.
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Understanding halaal certification
Navigating halaal certification is essential for farmers and processors aiming to serve this market. In South Africa, multiple certification bodies oversee the process.
Ghoor explained the process for becoming halaal certified. Certification bodies conduct rigorous and often surprise audits. “Once a month, they come and do surprise visits. They don’t tell you when they’re coming, and they’re coming past. That’s just the way they do their audits.”
Inspectors check everything from the contents of cold rooms and freezers to purchase invoices, ensuring that no uncertified products have been used. This scrutiny extends beyond the meat itself.
“If you’re processing sausages, that means from your sausage casing to your spices needs to be halaal certified as well.”
In this episode, Ghoor also discusses:
- The role of abattoirs;
- Traceability and food safety;
- Navigating certification as a non-Muslim.
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