July 4, 2022

 

Singapore set to import Indonesian chilled, frozen, and processed chickens

 

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said Indonesia has been added as a new import source for chilled, frozen, and processed chicken, but fresh chickens are not part of this new arrangement, Today Online reported.

 

This follows Malaysia's chicken export ban which has badly affected slaughterhouses, wet market poultry sellers, and chicken rice sellers in Singapore.

 

According to SFA, close coordination between SFA, the Animal and Veterinary Service, and the Indonesian authorities allowed Indonesia to be added as a source for chicken.

 

Indonesia now joins the group of more than 20 nations that are permitted to export chicken to Singapore, along with nations like Australia, Brazil, and Thailand.

 

SFA said that diversification is a "cornerstone of Singapore's food security strategy" and that it has been doing so over the years, particularly with regard to commonly consumed foods like eggs, chicken, and vegetables.

 

To ensure that they can meet Singapore's food safety and animal health standards, the SFA further stated that chickens could only be imported from SFA-accredited sources.

 

Consignments would be subject to SFA's inspection, sampling, and testing upon import, while individual establishments and chicken farms would require documentary evaluations and on-site audits for verification.

 

The SFA said that having a new source for the importation of frozen, chilled, heat-processed chicken meat and chicken meat products is a step in the right direction for SFA's efforts to diversify the sources of Singapore's food supply and increase its resilience, proving more protection from supply disruptions around the world.

 

Grace Fu, Singapore's Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, said the addition of Indonesia to the list of the more than 20 nations authorised to import chicken, is another step forward for the country's efforts to diversify sources and enhance the resilience of Singapore's food supply.

 

The SFA is a statutory board under Singapore's Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.

 

-      Today Online