Opening a path to Halal-standard goat and sheep products

Sharing techniques, building livelihoods

On July 2, the Khanh Hoa Sub-Department of Animal Production and Health, together with the provincial Agricultural Extension Center, held a training course on sheep breeding techniques for residents of Trung Khanh Vinh commune, combined with outreach on the province's project to develop Halal goat and sheep products.

The training aims to help residents access a new farming model suited to local natural conditions, while gradually shifting production from small, scattered households toward value-chain linkages, building a modern, sustainable goat and sheep industry competitive in both domestic and international markets.

Technical staff guided households on selecting breeding stock, understanding sheep growth patterns and nutritional needs, care techniques for each growth stage, barn construction suited to the mountainous climate, and hygiene, disease prevention, and environmental management measures.

According to the technical staff, sheep adapt well to hot, dry conditions, require relatively little care, and feed mainly on grass and agricultural by-products, keeping investment costs low. In mountainous areas like Trung Khanh Vinh, with extensive hills and natural grazing land, sheep are seen as having strong potential for household economic development.

The Agricultural Extension Center had previously run several goat-breeding models in the former Khanh Vinh district, which produced positive early results. Building on this, the center is now developing a sheep-breeding model to diversify livestock and create additional livelihoods for ethnic minority and mountainous communities.

Toward a Halal value chain

Beyond technical guidance, the training also promoted the province's project to develop Halal-standard goat and sheep products, one of Khanh Hoa's major agricultural priorities going forward.

Nguyen Thai Binh, head of the Livestock Production Division under the Sub-Department of Animal Production and Health, said that after merging with Ninh Thuan province, Khanh Hoa now has the country's largest total goat and sheep herd, a major advantage for building a distinctive, high-value-added industry.

Binh noted that goat and sheep farming requires low initial investment, simple housing, and locally available feed, and shows stronger disease resistance than many other livestock. However, the sector still faces small-scale production, uneven breeding stock quality, and, most notably, unstable output markets.

"What farmers care about most right now isn't just technique but where to sell their products. Without a consumption chain in place, people remain hesitant to expand their herds," Binh said.

To address this, in late May 2026 the Khanh Hoa People's Committee approved the project to develop goat and sheep products to Halal standards, aiming to build a modern, disease-safe goat and sheep industry that meets Halal requirements, expands domestic consumption, and moves toward export.

Under the plan, from 2026 to 2030 the province will gradually establish concentrated goat and sheep farming zones, support improved breeding stock and biosecurity practices, build Halal-standard slaughtering and processing facilities, develop a Khanh Hoa goat and sheep brand, and step up trade promotion.

In 2026, the province will review and select model farming households to pilot. From 2027 onward, concentrated farming zones will expand to more suitable localities, forming raw material areas for processing and consumption. At the same time, the agriculture sector will work to attract investment in specialized Halal-standard slaughtering and processing facilities, helping to form a closed value chain from production and purchasing to processing and sale.

Phan Dinh Thinh, director of the Sub-Department of Animal Production and Health, said sheep have long been seen mainly as a tourism attraction or small-scale product, while the sector's real potential remains largely untapped without organized production and value chains.

Thinh said the key now is not to expand the herd at any cost, but to build a sustainable value chain. Only when farmers receive technical guidance and have buyers, processing facilities, and stable markets will they feel confident expanding their operations.

"The project to develop Halal goat and sheep products isn't only about export. In the near term, it's about getting these products into restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and domestic trade channels. As the domestic market expands and the value chain stabilizes, access to international markets will become easier," Thinh said.

He added that beyond meat, sheep could also support experiential tourism. Previously, in Ninh Thuan province, farms that combined livestock raising with sightseeing and photography drew large numbers of visitors, adding further value to the sector.

For mountainous localities like Trung Khanh Vinh, effective sheep-breeding models could not only create livelihoods but also open a path linking agricultural development with ecotourism in the future.

Through the training, Khanh Hoa's agriculture sector hopes residents will gradually adopt advanced farming techniques, expand their goat and sheep herds safely, improve product quality, and join production linkage chains, laying the groundwork for building a Halal-certified Khanh Hoa goat and sheep brand that raises farmer incomes and develops the industry along modern, sustainable lines.