May 10, 2023

Resumption of swine exports from Indonesia's Pulau Bulan to Singapore could take a year

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that it could take up to a year for live swine production and exports to resume from Indonesia's Pulau Bulan, Channel News Asia reported.

Last month, Singapore suspended the import of live swine from the island after African swine fever (ASF) was detected in certain swine carcasses. The affected carcasses, part of a consignment from Pulau Bulan, have been removed from the abattoir line.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed the ASF outbreak at Pulau Bulan.

To mitigate the impact, Singapore has approved Mexico as a new source for chilled pork imports. Alvin Kwek, president of the Meat Traders' Association in Singapore, said that members have activated over 20 alternative sources of chilled and frozen pork from different countries.

With sufficient stock of frozen pork to last for months, Kwek urged industry players and consumers to remain flexible and open to alternative supply sources. SFA also urged consumers to explore other protein options while the situation is being addressed.

The ASF outbreak in Pulau Bulan has resulted in the deaths of 35,297 swine out of a herd of 285,034, as reported by Indonesian authorities to WOAH. Pulau Bulan is located within the Riau Islands and adjacent to Batam island.

-      Channel News Asia