Sri Lanka prices not to fall after dropping 'halal' label
CCC chief Susantha Ratnayake, who is also the chairman of John Keells Holdings, said the widely used 'halal' label showing compliance with Islamic religious requirements issued by the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) cost next to nothing.The ACJU along with the CCC and a few Buddhist monks announced Monday they have decided to stop 'halal' products getting into the local market bowing to pressure from anti-Muslim Buddhist nationalists who had called for a boycott of such products.
Reporters asked whether prices would fall after the withdrawal of the certificate.
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"The cost of the halal certificate is so low no one includes that in the cost of production," Ratnayake told reporters a press conference he chaired with ACJU clerics as well as Buddhist monks responding to queries whether prices would fall after the label was dropped.
Some Buddhist nationalists had said that the halal certificate was an indirect tax on non-Muslims, as it added to the cost of production.
"It is a myth. I can tell you it is even more than a myth," he said. "The amount that was charged for the halal certificate was so very very low it was not taken into account when calculating the cost of production."
Muslim clerics had earlier said that there was a fee of 700 rupees per month for five products and 1,500 rupees for up to 10 products. But in the future the certificate would be issued free of charge.
Ratnayake said local manufacturers were still free to obtain halal certification from the ACJU for their produce that is exported to areas such as the Middle East.
Category: Local
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