Singapore supermarts ink more veggie deals

Tie-ups with farms here and overseas keep food supply and prices stable
Jessica Lim Straits Times 3 Sep 10;

SUPERMARKETS in Singapore are increasingly signing contracts with farms here and abroad for an assured supply of greens and meats on their shelves.

These contracts, which require farmers to supply the goods at specified quantities and prices, keep supply and prices stable for consumers here.

The number of such contract-farming deals made by supermarket chains NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage with local and overseas farmers has jumped from five to 20 in the past three years.

Now, FairPrice is tapping a new source of greens - farms in Indonesia.

The move is in line with efforts by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) to increase imports of Indonesian vege-tables in the next three years. Its target is to raise them from 6.6 per cent of all vegetable imports to 10 per cent.

Industry experts estimate that about 10 per cent of all imported fresh produce here - mostly vegetables, some chicken and fish - is now brought in as a result of such contracts.

Yesterday, the figure went up another notch. The 99-outlet FairPrice, the largest supermarket chain here, signed a new deal with a farmer in Medan, Indonesia.

It plans to sign another deal this year, bringing to five the number of farms with which it has such contracts. Back in 2005, FairPrice had such tie-ups with only two farms.

The farm in Medan, PT Horti Jaya, is now contracted to pack and supply about 50 tonnes of vegetables a week for FairPrice, an amount the chain hopes to double in the next few years.

For a start, it will supply cai xin, xiao bai cai, bai cai, kai lan and endive.

The chain's director of integrated purchasing Tng Ah Yiam said working with the farm directly ensures a consistent supply and helps maintain quality as well.

He said: 'I don't have to worry if I can get cai xin tomorrow. I give them specifications on quality and they grow and pack it for us.'

Cold Storage now brings in more than a dozen types of produce via contract farming, mostly vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuce. Plans are under way to bring in new produce, it said.

Sheng Siong is exploring the option.

Signing such contracts also benefits the farmers and their workers.

Mr Sunario Chan, 35, owner of the 60ha PT Horti Jaya farm, produces about 65 tonnes of vegetables a week, 80 per cent of it for FairPrice.

He said: 'We grow to order and it allows me to plan ahead. I know when I sow the seeds that I'll get income in three months. It's also a stable one.'

He has hired 80 more workers just to grow vegetables for FairPrice, and pays them 35,000 rupiah (S$5.20) to 58,000 rupiah a day for tasks such as sowing seeds or packing greens for export.

AVA spokesman Goh Shih Yong said such contracts are the best way forward; they can be Singapore's bulwark against global food shortages.

Noting that the Republic imports more than 90 per cent of its food, he said: 'We're vulnerable. This will help us tackle the challenges that affect global food supply and demand in the future. It also helps with traceability.'

AVA chief executive Tan Poh Hong said it is not a matter of just increasing the number of contract-farming deals but also the number of countries where the farms are located.

'This diversifies our supply sources and leads to a resilient supply, as it enables our traders to switch quickly to alternative sources when needed,' she said.

AVA goes on missions overseas to scout for potential food sources and facilitates local importers' tie-ups with overseas farms.

FairPrice is holding an Indonesian products fair at its major outlets until Sept 15. It will feature the Pasar Indonesia range of vegetables, known to be sweeter because they are grown in rich volcanic soil and a cooler climate.

Do vegetables from different countries taste the same?
Straits Times 3 Sep 10;

The Straits Times conducted a blind taste test of five types of vegetables from various countries. All are imported and sold by supermarket chain FairPrice. The vegetable dishes being compared were eaten either raw or cooked the same way, with few additional ingredients. The panel of testers comprised food and beverage consultant Violet Oon, 60, and nutritionist Louisa Zhang, 62.

LETTUCE (RAW)

FROM TIANJIN, CHINA

# Brand/price: Oasis China Lettuce, $1.40 a head

# Verdict: Very flavourful and crisp with a delicate texture. Best eaten in salads or sandwiches.

FROM CALIFORNIA, THE UNITED STATES

# Brand/price: US Iceberg Lettuce, $1.60 a head

# Verdict: Bland and tasteless. Has a rough texture. Best used with tastier foods like sandwich fillings.

FROM MEDAN, INDONESIA

# Brand/price: Frsharvest Iceberg Lettuce, $1.40 a head

# Verdict: Sweeter than the other two. It has a rougher texture.

TOMATOES (RAW)

FROM CAMERON HIGHLANDS, MALAYSIA

# Brand/price: No brand, $1.90 a kg

# Verdict: Sour, tangy and mono-dimensional in flavour. Less juicy. Good for steamed fish and Nonya dishes like assam fish.

FROM MEDAN, INDONESIA

# Brand/price: Frsharvest Tomato (extra large), $1.90 a kg

# Verdict: Complex in taste, juicier. Best eaten in salads or used for Italian dishes like pizza and pasta.

POTATOES (BOILED IN STOCK)

FROM SHANDONG, CHINA

# Brand/price: Holland Potato, $1.50 a kg

# Verdict: Less gluey and firm. Versatile and can be used for all sorts of dishes, from curries to baked potato recipes.

FROM IDAHO/WASHINGTON, THE UNITED STATES

# Brand/price: US Russet Potato, $1.60 for five

# Verdict: Softer with a creamy taste. It cooks faster than the other two. Best when eaten mashed or roasted. It is too soft for curries and would crumble.

FROM NORTH SUMATRA, INDONESIA

# Brand/price: Brastagi Granola Potato, $2 a kg

# Verdict: More gluey and firm. Best used for curries and stews because it will not fall apart.

CABBAGE (BOILED IN STOCK)

FROM SHANDONG, CHINA

# Brand/price: China Round Cabbage, $1.10 a kg

# Verdict: Bland and crisp. Sweet when cooked. It has a more intense green colour. Best used in soups and for dishes like lontong and coleslaw.

FROM MEDAN, INDONESIA

# Brand/price: Brastagi Cabbage, $1 a kg

# Verdict: Stronger flavour, more tasty with a rougher texture. Bitter when raw, which probably means it contains high levels of antioxidants. Best used in soups and for dishes like Hokkien mixed rice.

CHINESE CABBAGE/XIAO BAI CAI (BLANCHED)

FROM SINGAPORE

# Brand/price: Yili Farm Xiao Bai Cai, $1.35 for 400g

# Verdict: Crunchy, less fibrous, more flavourful and firm, good for stir-frying.

FROM JOHOR BARU, MALAYSIA

# Brand/price: FP Taiwan Sio Peck Chye, 65 cents for 220g

# Verdict: Less fibrous, crunchy and crisp. Good for both soups and stir-fries.

FROM MEDAN, INDONESIA

# Brand/price: Pasar Xiao Bai Cai, 80 cents for 250g

# Verdict: More fibrous and sweeter than the other two. Good for soups.