From 18 October 2026 Indonesia introduces expanded mandatory Halal requirements for imported beef and, more generally, for all food and beverages. Segregation, labelling and BPJPH certification become conditions of market access, not optional extras. Here is what actually changes for an Italian company that exports, or wants to export, meat to Indonesia.
As reported by HalalFocus on 9 October 2026, from 18 October 2026 Indonesia will extend mandatory Halal requirements to imports of food and beverages, with a specific focus on beef. International exporters — the cases cited include Australian boxed beef operators, but the rule applies to all foreign suppliers — will have to meet three precise conditions to continue selling in Indonesia:
This is not a complete change of direction for Indonesia — the country has progressively extended mandatory certification sector by sector — but it is a concrete and immediate leap for beef exporters: from this month, without a valid certificate, the product does not get in.
Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, with over 200 million Muslims. It is a structural importer of beef because domestic production does not meet domestic demand. Italian companies that produce processed meats, beef cured meats and beef-based products, or that handle fresh and frozen cuts, see Indonesia as a market with attractive margins — especially for premium lines that urban Indonesian consumers associate with European quality.
But from 18 October 2026, access is no longer a commercial matter: it is first and foremost a matter of regulatory compliance. An Italian company that does not hold a Halal certificate issued by a BPJPH-recognised body cannot ship the product. The local distributor cannot clear it through customs. The retailer cannot put it on display.
Not all Halal certificates carry the same weight with the Indonesian authorities. BPJPH maintains a list of foreign certification bodies accredited to issue certificates valid for import into Indonesia. Being certified by a body that does not appear on that list is, in practical terms, the same as having no certification at all.
HQC Italia is recognised by BPJPH — and the accreditation covers both the food sector and cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This means that the HQC certificate is one of those that actually allow an Italian product to cross the Indonesian border.
Checking whether a body is recognised is not a bureaucratic detail: it is the first check to make before investing in any certification procedure aimed at Indonesia.
Obtaining the certificate is necessary, but not sufficient. The new Indonesian regulatory framework requires Halal products to be physically separated from non-Halal products at every stage: production, packaging, storage, transport. For a company running mixed lines — beef and pork, for example — this means revising internal processes and, often, an audit plan that verifies segregation on the ground.
The certification body does not simply issue a document: it inspects the plant, assesses HACCP procedures from a Halal perspective, checks traceability records and verifies that the chain is not contaminated by non-compliant ingredients or surfaces. This takes time — one more reason not to wait.
Packaging must also comply: the Halal logo must be the official Indonesian one or that of the recognised foreign body, positioned according to BPJPH guidance. Labels bearing unauthorised logos — even if the product is genuinely certified — can block customs clearance.
Product registration with the Indonesian authorities is a separate step from Halal certification, but the two procedures must be coordinated: the Halal certificate is often a prerequisite for completing registration. A competent local importer is essential to navigate this phase, but the initial documentation must come from the Italian company complete and correct.
Indonesia's move is not isolated. Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar and Oman are all tightening — each on its own timeline — Halal access requirements for imported products. Indonesia is the largest market and the one with the most immediate deadline, but the logic is the same everywhere: Halal certification stops being a competitive advantage and becomes an entry requirement. Those who adapt now build a framework that works across several markets at once.
Source: HalalFocus, «New Halal requirements coming for Indonesian beef market», 9 October 2026.
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