REACH 352 - What are your views on Singapore's food security plans? What do you think of Singapore's local food production capabilities?
(SK)
25 May 2022 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
[9:57 am, 25/05/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
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[10:01 am, 25/05/2022] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢
Global supply chain disruptions have highlighted the importance of Singapore being able to produce its own food. Instances of food protectionism are on the rise, where countries impose export bans to safeguard local supply.
For example, Malaysia's recent chicken export ban to protect domestic supply will likely push up the price of chicken. Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is working with importers to activate supply chains from alternative sources and increase the import of frozen chicken from non-Malaysia suppliers.
Although farming on a local scale may not address the global food crisis, it may ease some pain points. There is also a growing need for Singapore to scale up food production in a sustainable way.
💬 What are your views on Singapore's food security plans? What do you think of Singapore's local food production capabilities?
The number of local farms grew from 221 in 2019 to 260 in 2021, boosting local production and contributing more eggs, vegetables and seafood to dinner tables islandwide. Local farms producing eggs contributed about 30 per cent of all eggs consumed here. SFA said: "Given Singapore's heavy reliance on imported food, local farms play an important role in the nation's food security. Local production serves as a buffer by reducing dependence on imports during supply disruptions."
More "food" for thought:
📍 Malaysia bans chicken exports: What you need to know
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/malaysia-bans-chicken-exports-singapore-supply-price-consumers-2703071
📍Local eateries source for alternative chicken sources, will rely more on frozen chicken.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/consumer/spore-eateries-scramble-to-find-other-fresh-chicken-sources-ahead-of-malaysias-export-halt
📍The number of local farms grew from 221 in 2019 to 260 in 2021. Local farms that produce eggs contribute 30% of all eggs consumed in Singapore.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/number-of-spore-farms-grows-over-past-3-years-contributing-1-in-3-eggs-eaten-here
📍The Tampines Goes Farming initiative explores urban farming through rooftop and vertical gardens.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-hdb-blocks-in-tampines-could-get-community-gardens-farms-to-step-up-food-production-capability
📍Commercial fish farms may be set up off Singapore's southern islands, with efforts to limit impact on marine ecosystems.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sfa-feedback-fish-farming-islands-1904801
📍Food protectionism is increasing around the world.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-24/rising-global-food-protectionism-risks-worsening-inflation-woes
----
[10:02 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: India plans to limit sugar exports in new risk to global food prices
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/india-to-limit-sugar-exports-in-new-risk-to-global-food-prices
[10:03 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Hawkers in Malaysia feeling the heat of chicken shortage ahead of export ban
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hawkers-in-malaysia-feeling-the-heat-of-chicken-shortage-export-ban
[10:05 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: 25 May, 2022
Just when things consequentially happened, next come the erupted disruptions to many hawkers and stall owners!
Will it be a short spell of bad luck or a while more to STABLISE this Chicken and Eggs business?
Could EGGS or vegetables or fishes be next to erupt SIMULTANEOUSLY?
Malaysia will be heading into ELECTION mode, all thing status quo, these daily necessities will have to be stabilised prior to calling a fresh GE!
"To each its own problems and pains...? "
[10:06 am, 25/05/2022] +Uncle Law: Businesses won't want to develop their business especially for food production for local market, due to high biz costs such as rental, labour
[10:08 am, 25/05/2022] +GLCM: Feels like the world is closing up to secure themselves in the midst of the rising inflation. Food security is indeed a serious matter. I applaud the various initiatives to explore ways to achieve self reliance.
[10:08 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Good morning!
[10:08 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: The issue of SCALING a business or an economy! Just when things open up, another disruption erupted that is FOOD and going forward into Q2-2023 becoming a FOOD SECURITY issue for multiple nations whom are non agricultural based economies!
"when you are a PRICE TAKER, your counter parties will tell you... It doesn't matter for WHO NEEDS WHO MOST?"
- - annoymous
[10:09 am, 25/05/2022] +Uncle Law: Local biz unable to compete their products with imported products due to their costs are high, hence selling price are not able to lower despite lower transportation costs
[10:27 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: 25 May, 2022
"Calm in the State of Chaos (冷静)!"
Food Security and Cost:
Forward contracts for importation of foods are crucial for up to 12 months and into 2025. Three big variables are delivery time, climate and weather patterns these days are changing and the chalkup challenges from farm gates of all sorts of fruits & vegetables, meats to wheats/corn/soybean/barley when harvesting, butchering comes due and the port to port lead time.
Australia and NZ, are farm belts and seems to be a safe and stable haven for foods of all sorts from fruits & vegetables, meats to wheat. The key is to ORDER EARLY AND AHEAD to continuously secure our food supply and demand. Logistics time and turnaround of these deliveries of foods are critical components and it comes…
[10:35 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: “The only way to avoid making mistakes is not to do anything. And that will be the ultimate mistake.”
- - Goh Keng Swee
[10:37 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Apologies, Dr Goh Keng Swee.
[10:38 am, 25/05/2022] +Uncle Law: Gov should look at providing rental reliefs and easing of hiring of foreign workers for companies that provides a certain % of their produce for local market.
[10:38 am, 25/05/2022] +Uncle Law: Say 90%
[10:39 am, 25/05/2022] +Uncle Law: This will attract more local biz to invest in Singapore, enhancing our food security
[10:40 am, 25/05/2022] +Uncle Law: More priority to be given to these companies when they need to bid land for expansion.
[10:47 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Uncle Law, Good points!
The 30/30 govt foods initiatives are in progress.
Caution, this food shortages will prolong towards 2030 and perhaps into 2023?
Many global foods analytics from South America and into Asia are pointing a big gap in terms of supplies side. So the next crucial question is which nation (s) are able to cover this demand?
This critical resource at large with it raw ingredients to raw meats! It is no longer a competitive advantage over one or the next few nations, it is survival!
It is evolving into a RESOURCE WARS!
[10:50 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: One bright spot, we are 6 million headcounts!
Can we see the dynamics in motion, now and tomorrow's?
[11:12 am, 25/05/2022] +Samantha: Can anyone enlighten me? Is this regarded as breach of safety for construction workers? No helmet climbing up to level of a private property.
[11:13 am, 25/05/2022] +Ken Loh: Yes you can report to MOM
[11:14 am, 25/05/2022] +Ken Loh: Definitely looks make shift, without work at height checks and stuff
[11:14 am, 25/05/2022] +Samantha: Easier said than done 😂🤣 try googling the mom website for the correct number to call....
[11:14 am, 25/05/2022] +Samantha: No helmet
[11:14 am, 25/05/2022] +Ken Loh: Not just that they break quite a few rules actually
[11:15 am, 25/05/2022] +Ken Loh: https://www.oneservice.gov.sg
[11:15 am, 25/05/2022] +Ken Loh: Report with this app they will route to the right department
[11:15 am, 25/05/2022] +Samantha: One service doesn't work
[11:16 am, 25/05/2022] +Ken Loh: It does.. can check update someMore
[11:19 am, 25/05/2022] +Ken Loh: Example… this is I send
[11:38 am, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Comments :
Certain governments of this world pay the DELTA (difference) between the current market price and affordable price of any strategic commodities or goods like foods or petroleum.
This Delta is called SUBSIDY aka as opportunities to CORRUPT?
https://youtu.be/I35Ma9KGY1E
[11:44 am, 25/05/2022] +Guillermo Cabeza: It isn’t realistic for Singapore to produce more food as there are competing priorities for land including leaving the forests and parks alone to keep the city green and reduce the climate impact. More realistic is to continue to diversify supply chains and sourcing from more countries. This said, Malaysia is the obvious source for food, so perhaps we need to reciprocate. Food in exchange for… less water as our domestic sources expand? sending electricity north? more work permits for Malaysians wanting to work here?
[0:21 pm, 25/05/2022] +Poh Seng Lim: In Singapore, we already do vertical living spaces and vertical retail spaces, so why not vertical farming? 😂
[0:27 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: 25 May, 2022
"War of all kinds, from hot to halt, there will be casualties...!"
- - annoymous
Microeconomics (小店经济):
From households, hawkers and F&Bs, the existing erupted ingredients disruption will have a trigger down effects from inflated prices to the reconsolidation of the foods and eateries industry!
Many added uncertainties will trigger to operational issues and scaling down of many trades!
There is no such thing as zero covid! Same goes for this early days of edibles supply shocks, there will be casualty, lost of jobs and inflated price of foods. The questions going forward will be how high food will cost and how many food (related) businesses will fold up and jobs lost?
Meantime, who can we try calling if short of sugar or oils or grains…
[1:10 pm, 25/05/2022] +Thomas: I think 30 by 30 for food security in Singapore is not enough. We should increase to 50% by 2030
[1:17 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: George Yeo to retire as Kerry Logistics Network's chairman to spend time with family and pursue other interests
https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/george-yeo-to-retire-as-kerry-logistics-networks-chairman-to-spend-time-with-family-and
[1:19 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Singapore's GDP growth for 2022 likely to come in at lower half of 3-5% forecast: MTI
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapore-gdp-growth-for-2022-likely-to-come-in-at-lower-end-of-3-5-forecast-mti
[1:23 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: More Singapore property developers expect prices of new launches to go up: Survey
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/property/more-singapore-property-developers-expect-prices-of-new-launches-to-go-up-survey
Up to 20% or more price increase yty, possibility ?
[1:35 pm, 25/05/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Detrimental deteriorating global conditions
1. 3 global conditions that have turn sour triggered a Worldwide food shortages, namely :-
a. Pandemic - lockdown triggering labor stoppages, food and animal feed production, port congestion, supply chain disruption.
b. War - Russia invasion that trigger Ukraine war - has block harvested food from being exported through seaports to the rest of the world. Deliberate targeting of food silos and storage destroying food, animal feed.
c. Global climate - global warming trigger droughts, flood - that result in poor harvest and many lands no longer fertile to produce food.
2. As a result of the effects of the 3 minor catastrophe on food outcome - many Countries start to adopt food protectionism by banning or restricting their food exports to protect their local supply and lowering price for their local population - at the expense of export market.
3. As Singapore is a major net importer of food supply --- we will be adversely hit - as food supply we normally consume no longer come in and we have to look for alternative sources that don't exactly fit our needs - and we will have to pay a much higher prices to compete for a reduction in food supply.
4. These 3 minor catastrope (pandemic, war, global climate) (小三灾 - 瘟疫，刀兵劫，天灾）has been predicted 3,000 years ago (楞严）and has come true。
These are also the conditions that have triggered WW2 - snatching world resources that have gone scarce - when Japan Imeperialist launch invasion.
5.Thus we need to be vigilant to ensure to ramp up our local food production ---- because the 3 global conditions will worsen for some times to come ---- eg. climate will not get better due to global warming, geopolitical tension will get worst as SuperPowers intensify jostling, Disease X may replace covid.
6. The worst effect of 3 minor catastrophe on food supply - will blow over until and unless :-
a. Clean energy replace carbon heavy energy - and Global Climate restore Warming Earth.
b. We are successful in mass production of high-tech food (that require little land space) - eg. vertical farming, lab-produced meat substitute like cell-culture meat, plant-based meat.
c. Geopolitical tension subside - as World Leaders discover meaningless power jostling cause more harm than good - and decide to collaborate and cooperate rather than commiting to power struggle.
[1:37 pm, 25/05/2022] +Poh Seng Lim: Point 2, these are not minor catastrophies, they are fairly major and even existential…
[1:38 pm, 25/05/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
This 3 conditions are considered minor because it will turn worst before it becomes better.
[1:45 pm, 25/05/2022] +Poh Seng Lim: 😁👍ever the optimist
[1:45 pm, 25/05/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
To explain :-
Humanity will go through 4 stages :-
成，住，坏，空。
(Born, Living, Decaying, Emptiness)
We are at 贤劫 中的 住界。
(The 2nd stage of "Living" stage) - of the 3 minor catastrophe.
Humanity is still not destined to end yet.
Hence confidently, Humanity will not succumb to existential threat.
Hence confidently, there are threat to extinction - by pandemic, by nuclear war/WW3, by Global climate --- of 3 minor catastrophe.
But they will turn worst and then better - as humanity make effort to remedy the worst effect of pandemic, war and global climate.
Humanity will face 3 major catastrope only at :-
坏界 (decaying stage) - where another 3 minor catastrophe will trigger an annihilation of humanity near the end of decaying stage.
[2:07 pm, 25/05/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Ramping up our local food production
1. Singapore land space is very limited.
Based on economics, land space is a premium, a scarce resources - and should be directed to produce economic goods that give us the highest paid economic output.
Food previously - is a low price economic goods - hence our premium lands are committed to higher premium economic goods such as financial centre, manufacturing plants, residential places etc.
But now, food supply from overseas - is no longer a cheap and easily available economic goods.
Global supply disruption, global climate, food protectionism, reduction in fertile lands to grow crops, animal feeds, land for domestic animals succumb to drought and flood ---- will increasinly make traditional farming and meat production --- all the more difficult.
2. Hence, Singapore must realign our definition of allocating premium land spaces for local food production --- because without food - we cannot survive.
Also the food price will keep increasing because of the above describe conditions that will make traditional farming and overseas food production less tenable.
3. Increasingly, we must allocate our premium land spaces to achieve the following :-
a. Vertical farming to save land - but yet able to produce a sizeable amount of food for our local consumption.Eg. are vegetables, egg production, fish farming and even high tech Temasek rice (1 hectares - 6 tons of rice) etc.
Understand there is a limit to how much vertical farming can produce --- but definitely a good cushion in the event export food market are disrupted, ban or restricted.
b. High tech meat subsitute - eg. cell-culture, tissue re-engineering meat, 3D meat and plant-based meat - that can be produce in a lab - and mass produce in a manufacturing plant.
This mass production meat substitute for chicken, beef, mutton, pork, seafood etc --- and be produce in such a large quantity not only sufficient for local population, but also mass produce for overseas market --- opening up a high-tech food sector for export, and create high tech food jobs.
c. Continue to work with non-traditional overseas countries for our food sources - to ensure we diversify outside our traditional food sources to secure alternative food supply.
[2:15 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Eat Just in Singapore, many other players including Mosa Meat, the Israeli firm Future Meat, and US-based Upside Foods expect to launch their own products around the world in the coming years.
https://www.labiotech.eu/in-depth/cultured-meat-industry/
[2:16 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55155741
[2:28 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/bill-gates-wants-you-to-switch-to-synthetic-meat-to-save-the-environment-but-what-is-it-3442628.html
[2:42 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.eater.com/2019/5/14/18623258/impossible-foods-synthetic-lab-grown-meat-science
Truth or Paid?
Let readers research and decide...
[2:51 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Colorectal cancer on the rise: What are the symptoms to watch out for
https://www.straitstimes.com/life/colorectal-cancer-on-the-rise-what-are-the-symptoms-to-watch-out-for
"We should maintain a balanced diet that has lots of vegetables and fruit and whole grains, and reduce the consumption of red meat and processed meat. Eating meat cooked at very high temperatures, like grilled meat, might also increase one's cancer risk," adds Dr Quah.
[3:05 pm, 25/05/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Clean Energy to ensure self-sufficiency and Global Warming
1. Energy squeeze and supply disruption - has again play an important equation in the food shortage.
2. High energy prices (gas, fossil fuel) - has increased transportation cost - that will jack up food prices - as we are importing food from all over the World.
3. Hence there must be effort to ensure energy self-sufficiency in energy supply - especially if we wish to ramp up our local production of high-tech meat and food sources that rely on energy and water (also need energy to produce clean water).
Also using clean energy will help Earth to heal itself from global warming - and contribute to more fertile lands for farming and food production.
4. Advanced Countries are doing R&D in advanced nuclear energy - notably nuclear fusion to create "artificial Sun" that will provide an infinite supply of energy that are safe and produce very little radio active waste.
a. Unlike nuclear reactor that use nuclear fission - that uses neutrons colliding into uranium atoms to split atoms into sub-atoms eg. more neutrons and protons - to produce heat and generate electricity.
This produce a chain reactions that are more dangerous and produce radioactive waste that will cause radiation.
b. Nuclear fusion - is an attempt for atoms to fuse with uranium atoms to make a bigger atoms to create an "artifical Sun" - and create an infinite supply of heat to generate electricity.
It will shutdown by itself automatically when it overheat and does not produce radioactive waste --- hence a safer method of producing energy.
US and UK are very advanced in such nuclear fusion technology.
China is the 1st to successfully use nuclear fusion to produce an "artificial Sun" - that will provide an infinite energy to produce electricity.
5. As advance Country has also produce a ship that uses clean low carbon seawater H20 to produce hydrogen gas - to power a large boat that go around the Earth.
Low carbon hydrogen gas produce from water H20 - by splitting hydrogen from oxygen - is scientifically doable - and hydrogen gas can be safely used to produce energy and electricity.
6. So Singapore should actively touch base with these Countries that make breakthrough in cutting edge clean energy to develop our own clean energy to replace fossil fuel and natural gas - that are high carbon energy source.
7. In the long run, it is feasible for us to achieve self-sufficiency in energy source that come from nuclear fusion, H20 sea water, solar - that comes abundance, free from nature ---- and we will not be held hostage by gas, fossil fuel --- that will fluctuate up and down.
[3:08 pm, 25/05/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Artificial Sun: China Claims Designing World’s 1st Power Plant That Can Convert Nuclear Fusion Energy Into Electricity.
Nuclear fusion instead of fission that will produce radioactive waste is what we are after.
It is less dangerous and produce infinite energy.
https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEEvMp6UYt3DsvcmV4TZdQGUqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowm-WDCzC2xNoCMJPekQc?uo=CAUiANIBAA&hl=en-SG&gl=SG&ceid=SG%3Aen
[3:09 pm, 25/05/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
"Making waves: On board the world's first hydrogen-powered ship"
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sustainability/money-mind-energy-observer-renewable-energy-hydrogen-shipping-2692996#:~:text=Making%20waves%3A%20On%20board%20the%20world%27s%20first%20hydrogen%2Dpowered%20ship
[3:57 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/Mitsubishi-Fuso-to-abandon-combustion-engine-trucks-buses-by-late-2030s
[4:06 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: 25 May, 2022
Absolute or Comparative or None (条件)?
"money is a function, a transaction, like the olden days barter trades, isn't it the same old world we are living in now...?"
-- anonymous
One way or Two ways or Multi ways?
What one trader offers or buys, putting aside cash, to the other trader or perhaps better off barter and addon third parties goods and or services?
Thinking fast in a rush to secure contracts, successful traders have game plans often having pockets of ready tradables to sweeten and quicken the deals.
Having tons of cold cash may not necessary be a win-win deal. Perhaps, who needs what most will be the secret key to unlock and open many others opportunities otherwise missed, these instances tradables, nontradables and trade abi…
[4:20 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Fresh chicken snapped up at S'pore wet markets, supermarkets after Malaysia announces export ban
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/consumer/fresh-chicken-snapped-up-at-wet-markets-supermarkets-days-after-msia-announces-export-ban
Halting or Hoarding?
[4:27 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Affordability Curve:
Per kg cost, Chicken meat, is the most affordable protein second to eggs!
The next question will be, "who will be most affected having to choose the next meat to eat?" (exclude vegetarians)
[4:31 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Chicken then follows by eggs...
[4:34 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: One sweet thing, chicken meat, most races and or religions accept this palette choice.
[4:43 pm, 25/05/2022] +Rama: Anticipated
[4:44 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Hi Mr Rama...
[4:50 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Microeconomics (小店经济) in play?
Perhaps some of these consumers are eateries or small food stores shoring up buffer stocks comes June 1st, halt of chickens?
Secondly, there is growing uncertainties say supply coming from Brazil or other nations?
What's the leadtime, abattoir to airport/seaport to distributors to shops floor?
Authorities or distributors should address these hick ups to calm many nerves?
Livelihoods on the table?
[4:53 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: The next affordable meat is fish, local farmed Kee Fish at $14.90/kg, price from NTUC.
(Disclaimer: not promoting fish nor NTUC)
[4:56 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: "Calm in the State of Chaos (冷静)!"
- - annoymous
[6:45 pm, 25/05/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan
[6:54 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: Water vulnerability a pressing global issue for global commons to solve: Tharman
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/water-vulnerability-a-pressing-global-issue-for-global-commons-to-solve-tharman
[6:54 pm, 25/05/2022] +Rama: 21st is war foe water. 20th was for oil.
[6:55 pm, 25/05/2022] +Rama: The century I am referring to
[6:55 pm, 25/05/2022] +Joseph Yap: 💬 What are your views on Singapore's food security plans? What do you think of Singapore's local food production capabilities?
Singapore is vulnerable in food security as we import more than 90% of food. SFA has a 30 by 30 plan and it will be great to have interim review at end of 2025 to see how far ahead/ short we are.
Food security is strategic, we need government-led investments to increase the production to achieve economies of scale.
[6:56 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: https://youtu.be/dOg6s2YB0Fg
[6:56 pm, 25/05/2022] +Rama: We have to think out of the box to maximise every single opportunity and way .
[6:57 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: https://youtu.be/LVwfef5iVB0
[6:59 pm, 25/05/2022] +Smiley face: "use microchips exchange for foods and others...?"
[7:00 pm, 25/05/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan 😊
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