Judith Tan, Straits Times 7 Feb 08;
Diversification part of effort to ensure supply and keep prices stable
THAT Hainanese pork chop on your dinner table could soon hail from the Philippines or even as far as Chile.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) is considering applications from slaughterhouses in both countries to sell frozen pork here, part of a government plan to diversify the country's food supply.
Recent outbreaks such as bird flu, along with the wide-reaching fallout of climate change, have prompted AVA to look further afield for food supplies, said spokesman Goh Shih Yong.
'We believe in taking no chances. Food safety is of paramount importance,' he said.
In 2006, for example, the export of frozen raw chicken from Thailand and China was suspended because of a bird flu outbreak.
Similar scares have prompted AVA to look to meat producers in South America. In 2004, Brazil passed Malaysia as the top supplier of poultry to Singapore. It now provides for half of the country's needs. New Zealand is also a new source of poultry, having gotten approval from AVA officials two years ago.
Diversification has also kept food prices stable, a key concern today with crop shortages worldwide; this was also a topic touched on by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his New Year message this year.
Last year, food prices were 2.9 per cent higher than in 2006, going by the consumer price index (CPI).
AVA has looked beyond traditional sources like Malaysia and China for vegetables. The supply of greens now also comes from Vietnam and Indonesia.
And NTUC FairPrice is doing the same with rice - buying from Vietnam, which is 20 per cent cheaper than Thai rice.
If Singapore had not turned to Brazil for its chicken, supply shortages would have driven up prices, said Mr Goh.
'Our local importers have demonstrated great nimbleness in switching sources when one source of supply is affected,' he added.
Taiwan was also recently approved to export frozen ducks to Singapore.
The foray for food even brought Singapore to eye seafood from Namibia. Frozen fish and frozen oysters from the African country began popping up on local plates last year.
Mr Goh said seafood can generally be imported from any country that meets AVA's food safety requirements, though testing is in place for some items.
'High-risk items such as shellfish are required to meet additional stringent requirements like health certification and import testing,' he said.
