The government on Tuesday announced a plan to double Korean exports of halal food to $1.5 billion by 2017.

Under the plan, the Agriculture Ministry plans to set up a local standardized system for halal by the end of this year, doubling the budget for the plan to 2 billion won ($1.8 million).

Halal is food approved by Muslim law as fit for eating.

The move aims at relieving Korean halal food exporters from the burden of having to seek halal certificates separately from Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore -― expensive procedures that cost approximately 30 million won for smaller exporters.

The ministry also said it would support the creation of local slaughterhouses that abide by halal guidelines.

To support research and development for halal exports, the authorities will create the Halal Park in Foodpolis, the world’s first government-backed food cluster, in Iksan, North Jeolla Province.

In addition, the ministry vowed to offer key information and research data to Korean halal exporters in cooperation with government agencies, including the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corp. and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)