Local produce usually costs about 30 per cent more than imports. Although they can't compete on price, there are advantages to buying local, farmers tell CNA.
SINGAPORE: Even as Singapore aims to produce more of its own food, farmers are questioning if there is sufficient demand for locally grown crops.
Singapore aims to have the capability and capacity to produce 30 per cent of the country’s nutritional needs locally by 2030. Upcoming infrastructure developments like the Lim Chu Kang Masterplan are touted to transform Lim Chu Kang into a high-tech agrifood cluster. Retailers are encouraged to carry more local produce, and the SFA has partnered FairPrice to support four local farms to sell their Asian leafy greens and potted vegetables. The supermarket operator also guided the farms in fine-tuning their products, pricing and promotion mechanics.Local greens are also available online, with Redmart saying that sales of these vegetables went up during the pandemic, and have stayed higher than before COVID-19.
“The ecosystem is not robust enough yet, we can’t rush this … we need to continue to innovate and continue to drive demand.”Just 3.9 per cent of vegetables consumed here last year were locally grown, the Singapore Food Statistics report released last month said. This is down from 4.3 per cent the previous year.
Meanwhile, new farm Livfresh wanted to produce 1,000 tonnes of fresh produce annually by this year, but with construction delays due to the pandemic, its plans were delayed by about 18 months. The country has to be ready as food prices will rise in the long run and supply will be disrupted by climate change, they said.
“It is important that we show support for our local farms, keep them in the business and make locally produced vegetables as a viable option for our own benefit.”
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