Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Supply of Fresh Chicken during the Festive Period by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Supply of Fresh Chicken during the Festive Period by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether there are ongoing efforts to further increase the supply of fresh chickens from Malaysia or Indonesia in view of the increased demand during the festive season; and (b) whether these efforts are able to keep the prices of fresh chicken in Singapore stable.

Answer:

1 As Singapore imports more than 90% of our food, we are not able to insulate ourselves entirely from price fluctuations. Importers buffer for the expected increases in demand during festive periods, by bringing in more supply from overseas ahead of time.

2 To ensure a stable and adequate supply of chicken, SFA works with the industry to accredit new sources of chicken that meet our food safety requirements. Today, our supply of chicken is diversified with import sources from 25 countries, including Indonesia which was approved to export frozen and chilled chicken to Singapore in June 2022. Our overall supply of chicken is stable and SFA continues to identify and accredit new sources where possible.

3 The price of food items, including chicken, is subjected to global market forces of demand and supply, which could be affected by geostrategic developments, supply chain disruptions and policy decisions by foreign governments.

4 We encourage consumers to be flexible in opting for other forms of chicken such as frozen or processed chicken, or other protein options.