Halal fair opens in Tatarstan as part of 15th KazanForum

By Mert Davut and Handan Kazanci

KAZAN, Tatarstan (AA) - Russia’s trading platform for Muslims, the International Trade Fair Kazan Halal Market, opened on Tuesday as part of the 15th international economic summit Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum 2024.

While more than 40,000 visitors are expected, around 4,500 halal-standard goods from all over the world will be exhibited at the event that will last till Sunday in Kazan, the capital of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, the organizers said in a statement.

This year, the halal market is set up at the Kazan Agro-Industrial Park, in an area of 5,000 square meters.

Anadolu is the global communications partner of the five-day event.

Speaking at the opening of the halal market, Rustam Minnikhanov, the Rais (head) of the Republic of Tatarstan and deputy chairman of the KazanForum 2024 organizing committee, said the global halal product market is dynamically developing.

In Tatarstan alone, there are over 100 producers of halal food products, Minnikhanov noted.

Pointing out that halal markets in Tatarstan are a good tradition that allows participants to establish new trade connections, Minnikhanov said currently there is a wide selection of various products from Russian regions as well as from other countries.

Minnikhanov later visited the market and spoke with representatives of participating companies. The platform features food products, cosmetics, clothing, merchandise, accessories, and household goods.

Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum is a platform for the development of cooperation in the field of trade relations, foreign direct investments, discussion of issues of the Islamic financial system, according to its website.

The forum’s business program will kick off on Wednesday and this year’s main topics are international cooperation, Islamic finance and investment, halal industry, science and technology, doing business together, infrastructural development, human resource, tourism and culture.

Modest Fashion Day and Yunus Akhmetzyanov International Tournament of Young Chefs of Islamic Countries will also be organized as part of the forum.

Last year, KazanForum hosted more than 16,000 visitors from 80 countries, out of which 57 are members of the OIC.

The forum was granted federal status by a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, placing it among the top three most significant and attended international economic forums in the region. The Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok and the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum are the other two forums.