Bolivia Seeks Halal Certification to Open Meat Market in Egypt

The certification process, which began in June 2022, is in the final stages of assessment aimed at obtaining the Halal label, a mandatory requirement for food products to enter the country's market.

As part of the procedure, technical documentation on the Frigor, BFC, Fridosa and Sofia MEAT processing plants was submitted to the international certification body SGEI Global Halal, which operates from Uruguay and Brazil. The National Service for Animal HEALTH and Food Safety (SENASAG) coordinated with the Egyptian authorities the technical inspections, which were carried out in December 2024 .

During the visit, the African country's audit mission assessed compliance with sanitary requirements for meat products. According to the ministry's report, the results were positive. "This approval allows us to move on to the next stage - religious inspection, which is necessary to obtain the Halal seal, which guarantees that the slaughter process complies with Islamic principles," the ministry said.

In parallel with the technological advances, Rural Development Minister Yamil Flores held a meeting with Egyptian Ambassador to Bolivia Hatem El-Nashar to discuss bilateral cooperation related to food exports. “During the meeting, the Egyptian Ambassador expressed his country’s interest in purchasing food products from Bolivia, especially beef and chicken,” the ministry said in an official statement.

Currently, the main destination for Bolivian beef is the Chinese market. However, exports have been suspended due to rising domestic prices, which has given rise to new expectations for trade diversification in Africa and the Middle East.