The Ministry of Commerce and Thailand’s embassy in Cambodia held a joint workshop yesterday on developing standards for local halal products and to share the experience of Thailand’s $6 billion halal food industry.

Mao Thora, secretary of state at the Ministry of Commerce, said halal foods – that is, foods whose ingredients and preparations are in accordance with Islamic law – were in high demand worldwide, and not only by Muslims.

He added that Thailand exports about $6 billion in halal food products annually, while Malaysia generates about $11 billion a year.