Abstract
The food markets of Islamic countries appear attractive because of their rapid economic development. However, it is not easy for food companies from non-Islamic countries to penetrate the market because Islamic countries have a Halal system based on religion, which controls trade, distribution, and production of nonstandard foods. This research studies the case of the Malaysian Halal system to determine whether this system is a barrier to inter national food trade. It discusses the system in terms of the Agreement on Technological Barriers to Trade (TBT) under the WTO regime. It finds that although the Halal system is legally not a barrier to food trade according to the TBT, it places a burden on food exporters from non-Islamic countries. This implies that the best way for food companies to penetrate the Islamic market is to invest in the country rather than to export to it.
