April 27, 2023

Adequate pork supply for Singapore despite suspended pig imports from Pulau Bulan, Indonesia, official assures

Residents in Singapore need not hoard pork even as the city state suspended the import of live pigs from Pulau Bulan, Indonesia, due to an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, said the country's Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment, Baey Yam Keng.

As a matter of fact, the city-state has enough supply. In a Facebook post on April 24, Baey assured Singaporeans that there are over 20 sources of pork imports. He also stated that the suspension of live pig imports "is not a food safety concern", as the pork sold in Singapore is safe for consumption.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced last week that the import of live pigs from Pulau Bulan has been halted. The island provides about 15% of Singapore's total pork supply and about two-thirds of the country's supply of freshly-slaughtered pork.

ASF was detected in a consignment of live pigs from the Indonesian island, and also in pig carcasses at an abattoir where the animals are slaughtered for food. SFA added that this was the first time the disease had been detected among pigs imported into Singapore.

Baey suggested that, in the meantime, consumers should opt for other protein sources such as chicken or fish, or chilled or frozen pork. "As consumers, we can build our own resilience by being flexible with our food choices," he commented.

- Yahoo! News