British dairy farmers have been spared costly halal certification rules on exports to Egypt, in a trade breakthrough set to protect £250m in potential sales over the next five years.
The breakthrough follows intensive talks which persuaded Egypt to drop plans to impose mandatory halal certification on all dairy imports from January 2026.
Halal certification is a process ensuring products meet Islamic dietary laws, and while important for certain markets, the blanket imposition on all dairy imports was seen as an unnecessary barrier by UK exporters.
The proposed rule would have created extra paperwork and increased costs by more than £1,000 per shipment, according to Defra.
Its removal means that British exporters can now ship products more efficiently and affordably, helping to maintain and grow their presence in Egypt.
Minister for Food Security Daniel Zeichner said: “Britain is a great place for dairy farming and has an excellent reputation for quality, welfare standards and sustainability globally.
“The change to certification requirements in Egypt will cut costs and red tape for exporters, boosting growth opportunities."
Preventing the introduction of the rule will safeguard existing trade — worth around £26m in dairy exports to Egypt in 2024 — and open the door to further sales of British milk, butter, cheese and milk powder.
Rod Addy, director general of the Provision Trade Federation, praised the move: “Egypt’s decision to remove mandatory halal certification requirements for imports of dairy products is a welcome development, eliminating a longstanding trade barrier for UK exporters, especially at a time of broader market uncertainty.”
He noted that the UK is currently one of the top suppliers of dairy to Egypt, with exports valued at approximately £26 million in 2024, mainly driven by powdered milk and cream.
Mr Addy added: “Hopefully this change will open growth opportunities for other dairy categories such as cheese and butter, helping to diversify and expand the UK’s export portfolio in this key market benefiting both UK producers and Egyptian consumers.”
