Rabat -The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is calling for the development of a halal vaccine after the UK government said the current vaccine is unpopular in Muslim majority areas.

The council said that Fluenz is not halal as it contains gelatin from pigs. Fluenz, a nasal spray that prevents the flu, is set to be given to every healthy child of primary school age in England.

The council also told the Telegraph today, July 29, that it was advising imams to tell parents that Fluenz is “not acceptable in Islam.”

“We have consulted the scholars and this is their view. Since then we have been giving people the information so that they can make their judgment,” said Dr. Shuja Shafi, the chairman of the MCB’s research and documentation committee.

“We need another vaccine which is halal and can be offered to all. We urge the government and the industry to make this happen,” he added.

Since the statement from MCB, Public Health England (PHE) has expressed fears over the number of parents withdrawing their children from the vaccine program since the Muslim Council of Britain made its announcement.

The Royal Society for Public Health backed the MCB’s statement, urging the government to offer a halal alternative vaccine acceptable to Muslims as the situation “adds to the risk of major flu outbreaks.”

PHE said there are no “suitable alternatives” to Fluenz “for healthy children.”

While there are currently injectable flu vaccines available that do not contain gelatin, they are not as effective and are “only recommended as part of the program for children and adults who are at high risk of the complications of flu.”

England’s National Health Service (NHS) is urging Muslim parents to consider making an exception because the vaccine can be “considered different from ingesting food.”

It pointed out that the many Jewish communities, who do not consume pork either, have said the spray is acceptable because it is not taken by mouth.

NHS also insists that the gelatine is purified to the point that it no longer contains traces of pig DNA.

Gelatin is used as a stabilizer to ensure vaccines remains safe and effective during storage. UK Health authorities gave a warning that changing the stabilizers in vaccines would require “extensive laboratory and clinical studies”.

“Because of this, developing a new safe and effective vaccine with a different stabilizer may take several years or may never happen.”

According to Dr. Hamid Slimi, HEC 2019 Conference Advisory Committee Chairman, “For the last fifty five to sixty years of Muslim businesses presence in Canada, we have not witnessed anything of this magnitude that showcases and brings together Halal living related establishments. This is the beginning of an organized platform for the Halal industry and the people behind it. Halal Expo Canada 2019 will empower the Halal presence in the Canadian market, will create a solid network among businesses serving the Halal industry and last but not least it will give us an idea how far we have gone and how far we still have to go…”

Organized by THE EXPO HUT a leader in the trade show organizing for over 20 years, the event is the only and largest North American gathering of companies and individuals associated with Halal Lifestyle industry across the globe. It is the first time ever that such Halal Conference will be held in North America that is widely multicultural and has an evident increase of the Muslims population. With the fast-growing halal market, the event is, expected to draw more than 3,500 representatives of the Halal lifestyle industry, policymakers, buyers, NGOs, media, members of the financial community, and others will be in attendance.

Read more on offical page of Halal Expo Canada 2019.

The Ministry of Trade and Textile Industry of Pakistan has recently updated the requirements of their products importation, introducing the obligation of Halal Shipment Certificate, as indicated in the decree S.R.O 237 (I)/2019.

 

Indeed, for the entrance of goods at boarders’ customs, at arrival at final destination, it is obligatory that it is accompanied by a Halal Shipment Certificate issued by a Halal Certification Body accredited by one of the members of the International Halal Accreditation Forum (IHAF) or of the Standard Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC).

 

Halal International Authority (HIA) is accredited by Gulf Accreditation Center (GAC), a member of IHAF. HIA issues certificates according to GSO Halal Standards in conformity with Halal Standards recognized and accepted by Pakistan Government.

 

In order to sell their goods in Pakistan, HIA Clients shall obtain Halal Shipment Certificate, to be issued by HIA in full conformity with GSO Halal Standards and according to category of products to be exported in Pakistan.

 

If your products aren’t certificated Halal according to GSO Halal Standards, it is enough to require to HIA an GSO extension of the Halal Certification in your p

Ukraine is one of the largest exporters of watermelons and is in the top 25.

 

It is reported that this year creates very favorable conditions for the export of Ukrainian watermelon to the EU countries. For example, in Italy, the wholesale price for 1 kilogram of watermelon exceeds 1 euro. Also high prices for watermelons are noted in Spain. In connection with the cold spring in the south of Europe, there is a decrease in yield and deterioration in product quality. During this holiday season, the demand for watermelons is traditionally growing. Therefore, exports to northern countries are also limited, which raises prices there to much higher levels.

Now in Ukraine the prices for watermelon in the south have already dropped below 17 European cents per kg and the pressure on prices continues. You can buy the same watermelon on the western border of Ukraine even for 30 euro cents per kg, which makes its export quite profitable.

 

Andrei Yarmak, an economist at the FAO Investment Department, believes that now is the ideal time for the supply of watermelon to the EU from Ukraine. “First of all, the Ukrainian consumer looks at the early watermelon with distrust, fearing increased nitrate levels, and in the EU there are no such errors regarding nitrates among consumers, therefore the early watermelon is always well exported. In the same year, high prices and good quality of Ukrainian watermelon contribute to exports “- said Andrey Yarmak.

Source: UkraineFood.org

Ukraine has good prospects for exports of blueberries this year. Such opinion was expressed by Director of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association (UPAA) Kateryna Zvereva.

 

“Thanks to our active work on the promotion of Ukrainian berries in the Middle East within the trade mission of Fruit Trade Ukraine, with the support of FAO, EBRD and EU4Business, we continue to receive requests for the supply of Ukrainian blueberries by air transport to the countries of this region from those importers of berries that could not take participation in the event. We think that in July, several companies of the participants of our trade forum in Dubai will be able to put Ukrainian boar in 3-4 countries of the Middle East. Of course, given the growing volume of production, these supplies will be relatively small, but according to our calculations, those who can export berries to these countries will earn 30% more than the sale of berries in the domestic market and by 10-20% more, than at deliveries of berries to the European Union “, – says Kateryna Zvereva.

 

As the EastFruit project notes, the first wholesale batches of early blueberries appeared on the Ukrainian market in the first days of last week and came mainly from Transcarpathia and the southern regions of Ukraine. Since the volumes of the offered products were not very high, prices were kept at a rather high level – up to 300 UAH / kg in the wholesale trade (more than $ 11 USD per kg). By Friday, June 20, prices fell almost a dollar, but still predominantly exceeded $ 10 USD per kg.

 

However, on the weekend, when the first batches of blueberries came from the Vinnytsia and Chernivtsi regions, prices began to decrease more dynamically. So far, most farmers are trying to keep prices for lochina at the level of 200 UAH / kg ($ 7.6 USD per kg), but on the Sunday already began to appear the first offers of berries at a lower price. Mostly, farmers who did not have cooling and storing berries, as well as those who could not offer quite large volumes, agreed with the price, but the whole volume was not available for sale.

 

“Despite the sharp drop in prices for locust beef in Ukraine on weekends, prices are still quite high compared to last year and far higher than the pessimistic forecasts that were announced by market participants before. A similar situation exists in neighboring Poland, where prices for early blueberries are twice as high as last year, “said Andriy Yarmak, Economist of the Investment Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

 

“We expect that mass harvesting of blueberries in Ukraine will begin approximately in a week and a half. However, most likely, this week, prices for locust beer in Ukraine will fall below the prices for locust beans in Poland, which should launch export of products and provide support for prices, “- says FAO expert.

 

Participants in the berry market, including farmers and wholesale trade, expect that wholesale prices for blueberries when shipped from the farm before the end of June may fall to $ 5 per kg. At the same time, traders often predict even lower prices, and farmers, on the contrary, mostly believe that prices will not decrease so quickly, and by the end of June 2019 will be closer to the mark of $ 6 dollars per kg.

 

UkraineFood.org

The UFEB published a report on grocery markets, which highlights the current state and development prospects.

Sowing campaigns are currently taking place in Ukraine. As of the beginning of June 2019, Ukrainian agrarians sowed with early spring grain and leguminous crops 95%. According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine, it has already been sown: barley – 1490000 hectares (95.9%), wheat – 157.9 thousand hectares (95.8%), oats – 188.8 thousand hectares (96 7%) and peas – 286.1 thousand hectares (86.8%).

If we talk about winter crops, then they planted a total of 7,600,000 hectares. It should be noted that it will be possible to more accurately predict the yield of all grains and leguminous crops from the end of June or in the beginning of July of the current year, since the risk of losing a part of the crop exists throughout the growing season.

Now, according to the forecasts of the National Scientific Center “Institute of Agrarian Economics”, a decrease in the production of grain and leguminous crops by 2.3% is expected (up to 68,400,000 tons against the last year’s 70 million tons). Taking into account the calculations of experts, we can expect an increase in wheat yield by 8.7% (compared to last season) due to an increase in acreage.

On the contrary, the production of spring grain crops will decrease by 9.9% due to a decrease in the yield of maize.

Buckwheat yield is also expected to fall by 10.6% and rice by 5.6%, as compared with last season.

Oat production will remain almost at the level of 2018 (+ 1.5%).

As for the international market, the following points were considered:

• Sowing campaign in 2019: buckwheat yield is expected to decrease by 10.6%, and rice by 5.6%;
• Import supplies of flour to Ukraine halved, but pasta increased by 44.8%;
• Domestic rice cereal production increased by 100%;
• The United States continues to increase imports of flour;
• The main supplier of flour – Turkey, increased deliveries by 2.6%, and pasta by 5%;
• Chile – the main exporter of oatmeal increased shipments by 21.9%.

 

Источник: http://www.ukrainian-food.org/uk/post/informacijno-analiticnij-zvit-po-rinkam-bakalijnih-virobiv-za-traven-cerven

Ukraine’s State Food Safety and Consumer Protection Service says Ukraine and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have approved a veterinary certificate for shipments of milk and dairy products from Ukraine. Read also Ukraine among three major exporters of poultry to EU – experts “The respective authorities of Ukraine and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have approved an international veterinary certificate for exports of milk and dairy products from Ukraine to the KSA,” the Ukrainian agency’s press service said in a statement on June 24.

You can check the certificate on the website of the State Service of Ukraine on issues of food safety and consumer protection: http://consumer.gov.ua/ContentPages/Sertifikati_Na_Eksport_Z_Ukraini/201/

Being the largest exhibition in the halal sector organized in association with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), 7th edition of Halal Expo is ready to open its doors to exhibitors and visitors from all over the globe from November 28 to December 1, 2019 at Eurasia Show and Art Center, the newest exhibition area of Istanbul.

 

Halal Expo is an annual event organized in cooperation with the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), with the support of Ministry of Trade of Republic of Turkey and other related ministries and public institutions of the Republic of Turkey. Covering the area of 14,000 m2, 6th OIC Halal Expo, which was held from November 29 to December 2, 2018, hosted 316 national and international exhibitors from 35 countries and more than 40,000 visitors with the share of foreigners amounting to 4000 attendees. Further, 6th OIC Halal Expo successfully incorporated a series of B2B meetings engaging more than 200 buyers from 25 countries into this exceptional trade business event.

 

Being organized simultaneously with the World Halal Summit under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, 7th OIC Halal Expo will offer an outstanding exhibition area and a distinctive platform for a broad range of workshops, meetings and events as well as a new B2B Hosted Buyer Program with the participation of professional delegates among other activities related to the definition of halal.

 

Read more: http://www.helalexpo.com.tr/en/

Ukraine and Qatar agreed on the international veterinary certificates for the export of livestock products, State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP) reports.

“The competent authorities of Ukraine and Qatar have agreed on the forms of international veterinary certificates for the export of meat and meat products (including poultry meat and beef), milk and dairy products, edible eggs and egg products, fish and fish products, processed foods from Ukraine to Qatar,” the report says.

Previously it was reported that Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina had agreed on the international veterinary certificate for the export of day-old poultry.

The Republic of Turkey remains one of the main partners of Ukraine in the agriculture. Last year, Turkey ranked 6th place among the countries with the largest exports of Ukrainian agricultural goods (exports amounted to USD 1, 182,7 million), and the 3rd place among the countries from which Ukraine imports them (imports amounted to USD 382, 1 million). This was stated by Olga Trofimtseva, acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, during a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to Ukraine Yagmur Ahmet Guldere.

She added that the trade turnover between the countries in 2018 decreased by 3.9% compared with 2017. However, in the first two months of this year it amounted to USD 356,6 million and increased by 28% due to an increase in exports by 18%.

The main topics of the meeting were cooperation in the forest, veterinary and phytosanitary sectors, as well as the issues related to the export of Ukrainian potatoes to Turkey.

For his part, the Ambassador emphasized that Ukraine is an important strategic partner for Turkey and foreign trade cooperation between the countries has great potential.

“Today the negotiations on free trade zone agreement between our countries is on the agenda. I am convinced that the signing of such an agreement will give additional impetus to the development of bilateral relations not only in the trade sphere, but also in the development of joint investment projects between Ukraine and Turkey. Strengthening a bilateral cooperation at the political and economic level between the strong partners in the Black Sea region should be our priority,” said Olga Trofimtseva.

Press Service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine