Jakarta, July 13 -- The Indonesian and Australian governments held bilateral talks to enhance cooperation in the export and import of halal products between the two countries.

"This meeting is aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation between Indonesia and Australia through synergy in the halal product industry and trade sectors, to be more productive and mutually beneficial," the head of Indonesia's Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), Ahmad Haikal Hasan, said in a statement on Sunday.

The meeting was held on July 10 at the Indonesian Consulate General in Melbourne, Australia, where Hasan addressed several related issues.

These include the need for an annual requirement of 650,000 metric tons of halal meat to meet the nutritiona...