Russia to export halal reindeer meat to Qatar

When Governor Dmitry Kobylkin of Yamalo-Nenets, where most of Russia's gas is produced, was in Qatar for investment talks last month, he made an agreement with the Qatari leadership to start production of halal reindeer meat, Reuters reports.
Upon return to Yamal, home to 700,000 reindeer and 500,000 people, Kobylkin had the state-owned Yamal Reindeer Company arrange for ritual Islamic slaughter and the trial production of 1,000 cans of halal reindeer meat.
This week Qatari officials will get their first taste of reindeer at a Russia-Qatar investment forum in Doha where Kobylkin's deputy will present the Reindeer Company’s business plan to expand into halal meat production and product exports.
Reindeer herding and meat production is Yamalo-Nenets’ No 3 industry after oil and gas. Yamal produces 85 percent of Russia's gas and 15 percent of its oil. The state-owned Yamal Reindeer Company received EU certification to export in 2006.

Also among Russia’s Muslim community there is a large demand for halal products and the Yamal Reindeer Company hopes to be able to market halal canned reindeer within Russia.