Singapore is in disarray as Malaysia prohibits the export of poultry

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

Singaporeans may expect higher prices for their national chicken-and-rice dish as Malaysia plans to halt shipments on Wednesday in order to boost supply in its own markets and keep prices down.

 

Singaporeans may expect higher prices for their national chicken-and-rice dish as Malaysia plans to halt shipments on Wednesday in order to boost supply in its own markets and keep prices down.

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob declared last week that exports of 3.6 million chickens per month will be banned from June 1 until domestic prices and production normalise. Singapore, which imports a third of its chicken from Malaysia, is the hardest hit.

 

Almost all of the chickens are brought to Singapore alive and butchered before being chilled.
Consumers in Singapore have been scrambling to stock up on fresh chicken ahead of the ban, with local media reporting that fowl has been emptied from shelves in several wet markets and supermarkets.

According to the Singapore Straits Times, chicken vendors expect that the cost of chilled chicken will jump by up to 30%, causing chicken dish prices to skyrocket.
Singapore's government has advised residents to switch to frozen chicken and other alternative meats, and it's looking into new markets for fresh chicken.

 

However, the destiny of the ubiquitous chicken rice, which is sold everywhere from hawker stalls to five-star hotels, is causing anxiety.
If it can't find new suppliers, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, which obtains all of its poultry from Malaysia, is reportedly planning to serve pig and seafood dishes instead of frozen chicken.

 

Malaysia's prohibition comes as governments around the world battle with rising food prices, which have been exacerbated in part by the Ukraine conflict.
Ukraine exports a lot of corn and grains, which are important ingredients in poultry feed.

India took steps to defend its markets by banning sugar and wheat exports, while Indonesia temporarily halted — and then resumed — palm oil exports to other countries.