The DGFT extends the transition period ahead of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s expected visit to Cairo
Indian meat exporters shipping to Egypt have three more months to switch to mandatory halal certification. The government announced the extension on Monday.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has lengthened the transition period for the India Conformity Assessment Scheme-Halal (i-CAS-Halal) for specified meat and meat products sent to Egypt. The period now runs 12 months instead of nine.
Why the delay
i-CAS-Halal is India’s certification system for these exports. The DGFT said the extra time is needed so that Egyptian halal certification bodies can finish joining the scheme and getting accredited. Until that is done, the mandatory system cannot fully take effect.
Diplomatic timing
The notification comes just before Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s expected trip to Egypt later this week. That makes the decision both a trade fix and a friendly gesture ahead of the visit.
Clearer rules for rice exports
In a separate notification, the DGFT clarified where rice exporters need an inspection certificate. A Certificate of Inspection for basmati and non-basmati rice is required only for shipments to:
- European Union member states
- the United Kingdom
- Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
Shipments to other European countries will not need the certificate until April 1, 2027. The certificate is issued by the Export Inspection Council and Export Inspection Agencies.
Neither change is dramatic, but both make life easier for exporters. Meat shippers get more time to adjust to halal rules for Egypt, and rice exporters now know exactly which European markets need extra paperwork.