In sluggish Russian economy, halal sees growth The halal economy, worth more than US$2.1 trillion globally, is far from limited to meat, and in Russia it's developing fast. Cosmetics firms and services such as halal hotels have received licenses from the body that oversees Islamic production in Russia, while the state-owned Sberbank is looking into creating an Islamic finance entity. The Centre for Halal Standardisation and Certification, under the authority of the Russian Council of Muftis, has approved more than 200 companies since it opened in 2007. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES