Winai Dahlan
Halal Science Center, Chulalongkorn University
The prediction of many agencies confirmed that the growth of the global economy in the 2010s needs to rely on economic and social development in ASEAN and East Asia because the economic growth in developed countries slowed as a result of the economic recession. ASEAN+6, including the 10 ASEAN countries, China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and India, therefore has become an outpost and hope for global economic recovery.
The major problem for ASEAN+6 is that the export market is primarily dependent on developed countries. Hence, when there are problems of economic recession in developed countries, ASEAN+6 solution is to expand their local market, as well as looking for new markets. It has been found that the market for halal food in the Muslim world is affected relatively low by economic problems in developed countries, showing that future export to Muslim countries is promising. What is needed to solve a common problem is to seek cooperation in the development of the halal food market to make ASEAN+6 a base for the production of halal food in the world. ASEAN+6 is therefore required to improve quality using Halal Science developed in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia as an important tool in the development of halal products. The market for halal food in ASEAN+6 is, therefore, bright and could become an important factor in stimulating the economy of the world.
(Presented in the 2012 Asian Food Heritage Forum: Harmonizing Culture , Technology and Industry, 20-21 August 2012, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Institute of Asian Studies, Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Chinese Dietary Culture Institute, Zhejiang Gongshang University, and Ministry of Culture, Thailand)