Hoengseong Hanwoo makes its first-ever entry into Qatar, setting its sights on the Middle East after clearing the halal hurdle

【Financial News | Hoengseong—Kim Ki-seop, Staff Writer】Hoengseong Hanwoo has become the first Korean Hanwoo to enter Qatar’s beef market, overcoming the stringent halal standards and quarantine barriers that had blocked access.
According to Hoengseong County on the 13th, 80.8 kg of Hanwoo shipped by the Hoengseong Livestock Cooperative will depart for its first export journey on a flight to Qatar that day. To mark the occasion, a ceremony celebrating Hoengseong Hanwoo’s first export to Qatar was held at 2 p.m. that day at Hoengseong KC in Hoengseong-eup, organized by Hoengseong KC and the Hoengseong Livestock Cooperative. Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Hoengseong County, livestock cooperatives and related companies attended, sharing in the significance of strengthening the international competitiveness of the Hanwoo industry and diversifying overseas markets.
The breakthrough in exports came in early March this year. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Qatar and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency proposed that Hoengseong County hold a Hanwoo tasting event to coincide with iftar, the first meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan. The tasting event was canceled due to changes in the local situation, but it led Hoengseong KC, a slaughtering and processing company with halal slaughter certification, and Qatari distributor The Meat Market to sign a business agreement, setting a feasibility review for exports in motion.
Halal certification and the submission of a health certificate are mandatory for exporting meat to Qatar, an Islamic country. After continued discussions with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reached a final agreement last September on sanitary requirements and the format of quarantine certificates for exports of boneless beef, establishing the institutional framework.
Local marketing will follow the exports. On the 18th, The Meat Market will host a launch event, inviting around 60 people, including chefs from Qatar’s luxury hotels and influencers, for a Hanwoo butchery demonstration and tasting. On the 19th, Hoengseong Hanwoo is set to be showcased alongside leading Korean companies at the National Day event hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Qatar, for around 400 attendees, including senior Qatari government officials and ambassadors from various countries.
An event official said, “Starting with a proposal for a Ramadan tasting, overcoming the high barriers of halal quarantine in just six months and taking our first step into the Qatari market is a meaningful milestone that will go down in the history of the Hanwoo industry. We will use the opportunity for local hotel chefs and government officials to taste Hanwoo for themselves as a stepping stone to expand exports to countries across the Middle East and raise the standing of Korea’s livestock industry.”
Hoengseong County Governor Jang Shin-sang said, “Being the first in Korea to enter Qatar’s market, known for its stringent requirements, proves that Hoengseong Hanwoo’s brand value is competitive on the world stage. I am grateful to Hoengseong KC and the Hoengseong Livestock Cooperative for opening the way together, and to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Korean Embassy in Qatar and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency for contributing to the negotiations. We will give our full support to help Hoengseong Hanwoo establish itself as a premium brand sought after around the world.”

[email protected] Kim Ki-seop Reporter