Singapore is looking to Thailand and other countries for its chicken supplies

Singapore’s chicken supply is depending on Thailand, plus a few other countries, after Malaysia banned poultry exports last month. Before the ban, about a third of Singapore’s chicken came from Malaysia. In a country that takes its Chicken Rice meal VERY seriously, the situation has become an acute supply chain shortage in the island nation.

Singaporean Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan wrote in a Facebook post yesterday that Singapore expects to get more chilled chicken from Australia and Thailand. He said it would get more of its frozen chicken supplies from countries including Brazil and the US in the coming weeks. Despite the hurdle from Malaysia’s export ban, Tan said Singapore’s chicken supply remains stable.

“Thanks to the quick response of our importers, distributors and supermarkets, working with the Singapore Food Agency.”

Malaysia banned poultry exports last month so that authorities could investigate the illegal activity of cartels controlling the price and shipment of its produce. The ban is the latest in a series of protectionist moves as nations around the world battle rising food costs. Indonesia recently banned palm oil exports, India restricted wheat exports, and Serbia and Kazakhstan both imposed quotas on grain shipments.

But Malaysia’s state news agency, Bernama, says the country’s chicken shortage is set to be resolved in a month, citing the director-general of the country’s Veterinary Department. Until then, Minister Tan has told Singaporeans to “rest assured” that there is enough chicken in Singapore for people to buy as much as they normally would.

SOURCE: Bloomberg