Food supply, fresh grocery prices not affected by Malaysia's lockdown
Food supply to Singapore and prices of fresh groceries have not been affected by Malaysia's lockdown that started yesterday, a key move by the country to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Fresh food associations and supermarkets contacted said supplies are not interrupted and prices of vegetables, fruit and fish remain stable.
Mr Tay Khiam Back, chairman of the Singapore Fruits and Vegetables Importers and Exporters Association, said he does not expect the lockdown to disrupt supply chains from Malaysia. "There have been no issues to worry about," he told The Straits Times.
Malaysia had issued a movement control order on Monday that bars its citizens from travelling abroad until March 31, a move that affects more than 400,000 people who cross the land checkpoints daily.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong assured Singaporeans that his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin had reassured him in a phone call that the flow of goods and cargo between Singapore and Malaysia would continue.
Mr Lee Boon Cheow, former president of the Singapore Fish Merchants' General Association, said as much yesterday: "We are still getting fish from Malaysia at usual prices.
"Singapore also gets its seafood from various other countries such as China and Thailand, so I'm not too concerned about the lockdown."
Prices of food at supermarket chains have not risen.
A spokesman for Dairy Farm said of its Cold Storage and Giant stores: "We want to reassure our customers that our regular in-store prices have not increased as we continue to work closely with our partners to ensure a stable supply for our customers."
The Singapore Food Agency also affirms that the country's food supply is not affected by Malaysia's movement control order.
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