The export of Korean beef to Qatar has been approved. Domestic exporters can now ship boneless chilled and frozen beef that meets Qatar's halal requirements and the agreed hygiene conditions between the two countries.
On September 20, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that it has completed discussions with Qatar's Ministry of Public Health regarding the hygiene conditions and certification forms for exporting boneless beef.
As a result, Qatar has become the third halal market for Korean beef, following Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. Malaysia began importing Korean beef in 2023, while the UAE started in 2025.
The exportable products include chilled or frozen boneless beef. The beef must undergo a natural aging process for a certain period after slaughter, and by-products such as internal organs, heads, feet, and tails must be removed. These requirements were proposed by Qatar to manage the risk of foot-and-mouth disease and are reflected in the agreed hygiene conditions and certification.
Hyengseong Co., a domestic exporter, has a halal-certified slaughterhouse and processing facility and plans to ship 100 kg of chilled beef to Qatar in early October.
This export initiative was propelled by a working-level meeting between the South Korean Embassy in Qatar and Qatar's Ministry of Public Health in April. At that time, Qatar expressed its willingness to allow the export of boneless Korean beef, leading to ongoing discussions between the two governments after the Ministry of Agriculture formally requested permission for the export.
In August, Qatar's Ministry of Public Health officially registered South Korea as an eligible country for exporting boneless beef under its regulations. Subsequently, in early September, it informed South Korea that the necessary procedures for exporting Korean beef had been completed.
Park Sang-ho, the International Agricultural Cooperation Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, expressed hope that this export to Qatar will further expand the market for Korean beef in halal markets. He added, "We will monitor the initial export response and consider expanding the volume, while also discussing with Qatar the inclusion of bone-in beef cuts, such as ribs, which are currently excluded from the export list, taking into account the domestic foot-and-mouth disease control situation."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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