Update! Indonesian authorities have decided to postpone the planned implementation of the certification requirements, originally scheduled to take effect on 18 October, by two years. For imported food and beverage products, the new implementation date is 18 October 2028. The postponement was introduced through an amendment to Government Regulation No. 42/2024 and is justified by the need for more time to “ensure adequate readiness of the halal system”.

On 18 October, Indonesia introduced a new regulatory framework for products subject to halal certification requirements.

Indonesia’s official halal authority, Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal (BPJPH), has been working for several years on revising the national legislation governing halal certification.

The legislation was originally introduced in 2014 (Halal Law 33/2014) and has undergone several rounds of revision over the past two years, with proposed amendments being notified on an ongoing basis through the WTO (World Trade Organization).

Applicable conditions

The conditions applicable from 18 October and until further notice are as follows (Decree No. 301/2026, August 31, 2026):

  • Unprocessed seafood is exempt from certification requirements.
  • Unprocessed seafood includes all products under customs tariff headings 0301 (live), 0302 (fresh/chilled), 0303 (frozen) and 0304 (fillets).
  • Products under heading 0305 that are salted, dried, or salted and dried are also exempt from certification. Please note that smoked products are not exempt from certification requirements.
  • Shellfish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates under headings 0306, 0307 and 0308 are exempt from certification when live, fresh/chilled, frozen, salted, dried, or salted and dried. Smoked products are not exempt.

Feed ingredients

Regarding ingredients used in feed production, Indonesian law (Halal Law 33/2014) and regulations (Government Regulation No. 42/2024) state that feed for food-producing animals does not require halal certification when it is plant-based, genetically modified, or contains ingredients of animal origin.

However, pigs and pig-derived products are not permitted as ingredients in feed (Decree 160/2026). The decree was issued to follow up on the existing provisions in the Ministry of Agriculture’s Regulation No. 13/2019, which specifically and explicitly prohibit ingredients derived from pigs.

With regard to BPJPH requirements, the current situation is that unprocessed seafood does not require certification. Feed is also not subject to certification requirements, provided that pigs or pig-derived products have not been used in its production.

To verify that an exported product is not subject to certification requirements, Indonesian authorities may request documentation demonstrating that the product meets the criteria for unprocessed seafood.

Any such documentation would be general in nature, focusing on the production flow and product composition, as well as other relevant information.