Chicken importers in Singapore to diversify supplies amid Malaysia’s export ban

A customer waits to buy chicken meat at a wet market in Kuala Lumpur on September 1, 2021. (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP) (Photo by MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)
A customer waits to buy chicken meat at a wet market in Kuala Lumpur on 1 September 2021. (PHOTO: AFP via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE —Singapore’s chicken importers will diversify and increase their supplies from alternative sources amid Malaysia’s upcoming ban on the export of the poultry.

In a statement on Monday night (23 May), the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it is working with importers to reduce the impact on chicken supply due to the Malaysian ban. The importers will increase supplies of chilled chicken from alternative sources and frozen chicken from existing non-Malaysian sources, or draw from their stocks of poultry, SFA added.

While there are temporary disruptions to the supply of chilled chicken, frozen chicken options are available to deal with the shortfall, according to SFA.

Of Singapore’s chicken imports totalling about 214,400 tonnes last year, about a third, or almost 73,000 tonnes, were from Malaysia. Almost all of the Malaysian imports were live chickens, which were slaughtered and chilled in Singapore.

“We strongly encourage consumers to play their part by being open to switching choices within and across food groups (such as consuming frozen chicken instead of chilled) as well as other sources of meat products,” said SFA, adding that it advises consumers to buy only what they need.

The statement comes after Malaysia’s Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced earlier Monday that the country will stop the export of 3.6 million chickens a month from 1 June, in a bid to stabilise production, as prices of the poultry soared.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore