INDONESIA has announced it is delaying a new requirement for countries exporting raw food products, including beef, to demonstrate Halal certification.

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The laws had been in the works for the past four years and were set to come into play at the end of last week. But the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website said on its website that Indonesia has delayed the impending rules with a new deadline to be announced.

“The Australian Government will continue to work with Indonesia to secure clarity on the exact length of the delay applicable to Australian exporters and will continue to update exporters as we receive further information about Indonesia’s requirements,” DFAT said on its website.

“The Halal Law mandates new halal certification requirements for products seeking to enter the Indonesian market. It also greatly expands the range of products and export services for which it is necessary to have halal certification. Australian exporters need to meet these requirements to maintain or gain access to the Indonesian market.

“The Halal Law expands the scope of goods for which mandatory halal certification is required. It also extends the requirement to include export services such as slaughtering, processing, storage, packaging, transport, marketing and presentation.”

Indonesia is growing market for Australian boxed beef, having imported 57,500t of beef in the year until September, which is up 10pc on last year. With a large percentage of Indonesians practicing Islam, beef is a popular food. Australia supplies multiple ends of the market through live export and boxed beef.

While most Australian processors are already Halal certified under the well-established Australia Government Authorised Halal Program (AGAHP) and supply markets with that assurance, Australian Meat Industry Council trade and technical affairs manager Sam Munsie said industry, government and halal certification bodies had been working to carry over the system under the new Indonesian Law.

“Australia has well established and globally trusted Halal assurance systems in the AGAHP. Industry and Government have been working closely with Indonesia to make sure this system continues to be accepted to support Australia supplying meat a high level of Halal assurance,” Mr Munsie said.

“We have invested pretty heavily into AGAHP, a lot of work has been done to make sure it is accepted and trusted – which is something we are pretty proud of.”

Mr Munsie said Indonesia was an important market for a lot of AMIC’s members.

“They are a growing market and give greater value to wide variety of products,” he said.

“With Indonesia’s growing population and established appetite for beef, that market will only grow importance to Australian meat processors and exporters.”