Asia Minute: Singapore takes a new approach to solve a chicken shortage

Singapore (CNN Business)Mohammad Jalehar was a teenager in the 1990s when he heard warnings well-nigh looming nutrient and water shortages in Singapore.

"Whenever our regime would clash with Malaysia's, we were told that there would be no more meat or fish or vegetables coming in from Malaysia to feed our families. Water would also be cut off," he said.

At present in his 50s, the craven seller who runs a stall with his wife at a moisture marketplace in the Bedok Southward district feels similar history is repeating itself.

For decades, Singapore, a rich simply land-poor isle nation, has relied on its closest neighbor Malaysia for a third of its poultry imports. Every month, near iii.half-dozen million mostly live chickens are exported to Singapore, and then slaughtered and chilled.

Simply Malaysian Prime number Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob last week announced drastic measures: his land would ban live craven exports to Singapore from June in an endeavour to tackle a domestic shortage that has sent prices soaring.

The ban is expected to hitting Singaporeans hard, not least because the urban center-land'due south de facto national dish is craven-rice -- and aficionados say replacing fresh meat with frozen simply won't practice.

And while the Singapore authorities has given assurances there will nevertheless be more plenty chicken to go around, traders say poultry prices are bound to rise sharply. Currently, traders pay $3 for a whole craven, but they expect prices to surge as stocks dwindle and that toll could before long increment to $4-5 per bird.

"Every pinch hurts," Jalehar said. "Suppliers are telling us to gear up for higher prices. Ane chicken at present might cost a dollar more, but where will I get the extra money I need to buy 100 birds for auction? Will my customers likewise accept the costs?"

The "chicken-rice crisis," every bit it has been dubbed, is just the latest sign of the nutrient shortages that are beingness felt beyond the world. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Covid-related supply-chain problems and extreme weather condition are all contributing to the shortages and forcing prices higher.

In the The states, Asia and Africa, potato shortages have caused fast food restaurants to run out of products like french fries and chips.

In Malaysia, the ascension cost of feed has sent chicken prices soaring in recent months and retailers have rationed sales in response.

With the last alive chickens from Malaysia arriving in Singapore for slaughter on Tuesday, the metropolis-state is now bracing for its own shortage, which could drag on for months.

Chicken sellers in Singapore said customers were this calendar week trying to get alee of the looming ban by buying in bulk, but the sellers faced shortages while trying to replenish their stock.

Elderly chicken seller Ah Ho and his son Thomas, 58, said the toll of chicken had already been high for quite some time. "The business of selling craven has been on the brink for months so it hasn't been annihilation new for us," Ho said.

Their chicken stall had run out of stock, with even less popular items such as gizzards having sold out. "Our fate is now in the easily of suppliers and how much they desire to jack up prices to turn profits," Thomas said.

For the male parent and son, who have been in the business organisation for more than three decades, survival has always been hard -- only now it is most to become harder.

"Nobody knows what's going to come in the next month or so, or how long this shortage will go on but with the way that it's looking, information technology might finally be time for us to throw in the towel and shut shop," Thomas said.

'Craven-rice crisis'

Fears of a chicken shortage were as well evident in the endless snaking queues that formed at craven-rice stalls across Singapore.

Owners of Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, 1 of the island's most pop eateries, accept said that while they volition proceed serving chicken-rice, they volition end serving other chicken dishes if they cannot secure fresh meat.

At the Katong Mei Wei Boneless Chicken Rice stall, another pop destination for the island's foodies, loyal patrons like Lucielle Tan were getting their chicken prepare alee of the ban.

"Have to bask it while we tin for every bit long equally supplies last," Tan said.

While a brusk-term solution could be to import more frozen chicken from countries similar Thailand and Brazil, for legions of chicken-rice sellers beyond the island it simply isn't an selection.

"Frozen chicken? You expect us to cook chicken-rice using frozen craven? It will not gustatory modality skilful," hawker Madam Tong said with a express mirth.

"If that's the instance and you're happy with that kind of quality, you lot might as well go to Malaysia and consume chicken-rice there lah."

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/02/asia/singapore-chicken-shortage-malaysia-export-ban-intl-hnk/index.html

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