Less than 1% of food in S’pore comes from Middle East, but prices could still go up: Grace Fu

Singapore's food prices may increase due to logistical issues caused by the war in the Middle East and climate change impacts. Read more at straitstimes.com.

SINGAPORE – Less than 1 per cent of Singapore’s food supply comes from the Middle East, with supplies from major ports in the Strait of Hormuz accounting for less than 0.5 per cent.

But the prices of food here could still go up because of the war, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on March 18.

“Quantity is not a problem. But there is a feed-through mechanism, through logistics,” she added in an interview with The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.

The imports from the Middle East include oranges from Egypt, lemons from Turkey, and dates from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Iran’s continued blockage of the Strait of Hormuz – a major global shipping route – could affect shipments of fertiliser, which the Middle East is a major producer of, she said. The disruptions could lead to higher costs of fertiliser and have a trickle-down effect on agriculture and farming of livestock like chicken and cattle, she added.

Hawkers may also have to pay more for cooking gas due to the higher oil and gas prices. “So these all have potential impacts on food prices,” said Ms Fu.