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China: Halal food helps Ningxia expand into international markets
2025-05-15
Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is showcasing its ambition to become a global halal food hub at the China-Arab Expo on Sunday.
“Good business policies and our market can attract halal food companies from home and abroad, and at the same time it is a good environment to promote China’s halal food industry,” said Zhao Yongqing, Party Secretary of Wuzhong City.
The city currently has 176 halal food companies. Its total halal output reached 13.2 billion yuan (2.16 billion US dollars), a 15% increase over the previous year, accounting for over 60% of the region's overall halal industry value.
Covering 63 square kilometers, the park is home to over 40 companies with a combined output value of 3.6 billion RMB. Well-known companies such as Ningxia Hongshanhe Food Co., Ltd., Yili (Ningxia), and Baodi District Halal Food Co., Ltd. have played a significant role in the development of the domestic halal food industry.
"We are targeting not only the domestic market, but also markets in Arab countries. Therefore, we need to establish an organizational chain of cultivation, slaughtering and processing to ensure the integrity of the source of raw materials. This will allow us to expand our business to all parts of the world," said Gu Jianqing, manager of Baodi District.
Gu said his company plans to raise three million chickens, three million sheep and 80 million cattle for slaughter each year.
"We are very optimistic about the platform Ningxia provides us. It will provide us with more convenience, and once the export supporting facilities are completed, we hope to sell 40% of our halal products on the international market," Gu added.
Wuzhong, Yinchuan, Ningxia, is also actively developing its halal industry. By the end of 2012, Yinchuan had over 4,800 halal food companies and other processing and sales businesses. These companies have showcased their products in Cairo, Dubai, and Istanbul, in addition to exhibitions in China.
With a Muslim population of about 22 million, China has rich resources such as mosques, Halal food and Muslim culture.
Ningxia's first halal certification center was established in 2008, and more than 50 domestic halal food companies have been certified. China has signed halal food standards with seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Malaysia, supporting the growing acceptance of halal products in other countries.
To develop the international Halal food market, Ningxia has a complete certification system to ensure that domestic standards can meet the standards of Arab countries and other Muslim regions.
Moustapha Saphariny, former Palestinian ambassador to China, said that Halal certification is a unique advantage for Ningxia compared with other parts of China.
With all these conditions and advantages, Ningxia, especially Wuzhong City, has great potential to become the "world factory" of halal food, Saphariny said.