Chicken Rice: Why Singapore’s National Food Is Threatened

Rachel Chong, who lives in Singapore, likes ‘Chicken Rice’. I eat it about 3 times a week.

Chong said, “It has always been the top food in my heart. It gives me peace of mind and I can easily eat it anywhere.”

The place Chong visits as a regular is the ‘A Kit Chicken Rice’ stall, which can be bought for 4 Singapore dollars (about 3,600 won).

Not only Chong, but also many Singaporeans love chicken rice, a dish topped with steamed or grilled chicken over fragrant rice. It is so popular that it is often called ‘national food’.

“Singaporeans can’t live without chicken rice,” said a vendor at a kiosk in an interview with the BBC. “It’s like there’s no pizza in New York.”

But Singapore’s much-loved, affordable national dish may become increasingly difficult to find and more expensive in the future.

This is because imports of chicken, the main ingredient, have been hit by export restrictions.

Amid rising global prices, some Asian countries have banned or restricted the export of key foods to protect their own food.

The Malaysian government put limits on chicken exports this week, while India previously banned wheat exports and limited sugar exports. Indonesia also blocked palm oil exports to curb rising prices of cooking oil in the country.

As a result, there are growing concerns that the price of essential commodities could continue to rise in countries that depend on food imports.

This restriction on food exports is even more worrisome for Singapore, which relies on imports for more than 90% of its total food. As an island nation, Singapore relies on neighboring Malaysia for a third of its chicken consumption.

Unsurprisingly, as soon as news of export restrictions spread, long lines began to form in front of chicken rice stands, which are common across Singapore.

Meanwhile, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “This time it’s chicken, but next time it could be a different food. We have to be prepared for that.”

Chickens used as ingredients for chicken rice are usually exported live from Malaysia to Singapore, where they are slaughtered and trimmed before being distributed. But that was no longer possible after the Malaysian government blocked the export of chickens.

The ban will remain in place “until domestic chicken prices and production stabilize,” the Malaysian government explained.

Meanwhile, Lim Wei-Kit, the owner of the ‘A Kit Chicken Rice’ stall, said Malaysian chicken prices increased by about 20% this year as energy and corn feed prices rose due to the Ukraine war, but he did not want to raise the price of chicken rice further.

Lim said, “I don’t want to raise the price of chicken rice because it may cut off customers’ visits,” said Lim.

But in the worst case, you have to raise the price by 50 cents (about 450 won) per plate of chicken rice.”

He added that he was concerned that he might not be able to get enough chicken in the future.

You may have to use frozen chicken to make up for the shortfall, which customers say they don’t like.

“Frozen meat has a different smell and texture,” Lim said, “but honestly I don’t know much of a difference. We [패스트푸드 음식점에서] “I eat frozen chicken, but I don’t think it’s bad,” he said.

But meat vendors have less choice.

Hamid bin Buang has been selling chicken in Singapore’s busiest market for over a decade.

Buang said that although chicken sales have increased in recent years, he plans to close the business until the Malaysian government lifts the export ban.

“Everyone is worried,” said Buang. “Without chicken, everyone will be in trouble.”

“Countries’ export restrictions affect the entire supply chain, including producers, retailers and customers,” said Paul Tung, a professor at the Rajaratnam Graduate School of International Relations (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

Professor Tung said in a recent interview with the BBC’s Asia Business Report that some producers are “worried about survival, livelihoods and future order contracts.”

“On the retail level, if the price goes up, customers can leave,” Tung explains.

He added that he expects inflation, which increases the price of necessities such as groceries, to continue due to the Ukraine war.

This is partly why the price of chicken, the most consumed meat in countries like Singapore and the UK, is rising.

Looking at other Asian countries, India first banned wheat exports and limited sugar exports to less than 10 million tonnes.

India is the world’s largest sugar producer and the world’s second largest exporter.

Markets expected India to make up for the shortfall, as the war not only slashed Ukrainian wheat exports, but also left other major wheat-producing countries suffering from poor crops due to drought and floods.

David Labod, a senior fellow at the Institute for International Food Policy Research in Washington, DC, said: “The example India has shown (through export restrictions) is very worrisome. Other smaller countries are now thinking that if India does this, they should do the same.” he explained.

Meanwhile, palm oil prices soared this year as Indonesia as well as India stopped exporting palm oil for three weeks to lower the price of local cooking oil.

Palm oil is used as a main ingredient in almost all products, from processed foods to soaps.

Researcher Rabod also warned of the serious impact of export restrictions on consumers, especially low-income groups.

“Food isn’t out of reach yet, but prices are rising. And low-income people will be the first to suffer. They may face cuts in health care or education costs.”

Meanwhile, Chong said he hoped that chicken rice would not be hesitant because the price had risen too high.

“I think consumers should still visit places like coffee shops and restaurants to help at a level they can afford,” Chong added.