Eggs cost 20% more after four price hikes in past month

Channel NewsAsia 22 May 09;

SINGAPORE: Egg prices have risen four times in the past month and eggs now cost 20 per cent more than a month ago.

The price hike is apparently due to a Singapore ban placed on Malaysian exporter Linggi Agriculture after its eggs were found to contain antibiotics.

The Singapore Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) says this will not cause a shortage of eggs as Liggi Agriculture only has a 7.7 per cent market share in Singapore.

AVA urges importers to find other egg sources.

Importers Channel NewsAsia spoke to say even if they find other suppliers, securing AVA approval will still take one to two months.

Singapore imports 120 million eggs a month from Malaysian exporters.

Eggs suppliers say egg prices may continue to rise if the supply from Linggi Agriculture does not resume and alternative sources are not found and approved quickly.

They also urge Singaporeans not to stock up on eggs as this will affect their freshness and quality.

- CNA/yt

AVA, egg importers discuss suspension of eggs from Linggi Agriculture
Channel NewsAsia 23 May 09;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) officers have met some local egg importers on Saturday to discuss the suspension of eggs from Linggi Agriculture.

Its eggs have been found to contain antibiotics.

Importers who have been affected by the suspension said they are keen to work with AVA to accredit more farms in Malaysia, including one in Sarawak.

AVA said it has advised them that the Malaysian farms should contact the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) in Malaysia as DVS is very familiar with AVA's accreditation requirements. It has also offered to brief the Malaysian farms on Singapore's accreditation requirements.

AVA said the suspension of eggs from Linggi farm into Singapore did not impact the supply of eggs here as Malaysian farms are exporting only up to about 80 per cent of their production capacity to Singapore.

It added that the current increase in prices of Malaysian eggs could be a compensation to correct the drastic drop in price in the previous months.

AVA said the average price of an egg from Malaysia was about 18 cents until February, based on its monitoring of egg prices at some supermarkets.

The average price dropped to about 15 cents an egg in the following two months and is at almost 16 cents this month.

- CNA/yb

Linggi Agriculture farm can resume exporting eggs to Singapore
Channel NewsAsia 26 May 09;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) says Linggi Agriculture farm can resume exporting eggs to Singapore with immediate effect.

AVA says no antibiotic residues were detected in samples collected from the farm.

The farm also meets the requirements of AVA's accreditation for standards in biosecurity and biosanitation assessment.

- CNA/ir