..there will be no delay. This policy is part of the journey of developing a halal product assurance system in Indonesia,Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) confirmed that the Mandatory Halal policy will proceed as scheduled and take effect on October 18, 2026.”The Mandatory Halal policy will come into effect on October 18, 2026 and there will be no delay. This policy is part of the journey of developing a halal product assurance system in Indonesia,” the Head of BPJPH, Ahmad Haikal Hasan, said in a statement on Monday.Earlier, the Indonesian government had extended the deadline for mandatory halal certification for several product categories, including food and beverage products for micro and small enterprises (MSMEs), imported products, slaughtered products, and slaughtering services, to October 17, 2026, from the previous date of October 17, 2024.He emphasized that halal values are not only related to religious aspects, but also an important part of the national economic strategy and the development of the global halal industry, particularly in the food and beverage sector.”The use of the halal label on halal-certified products and the non-halal label on non-halal products aims to protect consumers fairly and provide certainty for all parties based on their respective choices,” Hasan remarked.Therefore, his office continues to actively disseminate information about the policy to businesses and industries both domestically and internationally.Meanwhile, BPJPH's Deputy for Partnership and Standardization, Abd Syakur, conveyed that Indonesia has established international cooperation in the halal product assurance system.Currently, Indonesia has established Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with more than 114 foreign halal institutions, supported by a network of domestic Halal Inspection Institutions (LPH).”This collaboration is expected to streamline the halal certification process for imported products while strengthening international recognition of Indonesia's halal product assurance system,” he stated.Furthermore, the Secretary of the Directorate General of National Export Development at the Ministry of Trade, Arief Wibisono, emphasized the important role of Indonesian trade representatives abroad as the spearhead for promoting Indonesian halal products in the global market.He also invited all trade representatives to take part in the 2026 Trade Expo Indonesia, scheduled for October 2026, while encouraging them to promote Indonesia’s halal policies to trading partners in their respective countries.