Singapore Faces 'Chicken-Rice' Shortage As Malaysia Bans Export

Singapore is facing a shortage of “chicken-rice” supplies after the Malaysian government this week announced it would curb chicken exports to tackle a domestic shortage.

Malaysia Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Wednesday suspended exports of live chickens from June in response to a domestic shortage of poultry in Malaysian markets. The move has distressed Singaporeans, whose national dish is chicken rice.

Singapore imports about 3.6 million live chickens from Malaysia per month. While the Singaporean government has ensured that the country will still have adequate stocks of chicken, traders warned that the prices of poultry products are expected to see a sharp rise from $3 to $4 or $5 per bird. The last live chickens from Malaysia are expected to arrive in Singapore on Tuesday.

"Every pinch hurts," Mohammad Jalehar, a chicken seller, told CNN. "Suppliers are telling us to prepare for higher prices. One chicken now might cost a dollar more, but where will I get the extra money I need to buy 100 birds for sale? Will my customers also accept the costs?"

Popular Singaporean eatery Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, which gets its poultry supplies entirely from Malaysia, also announced they plan on introducing pork and seafood dishes if it cannot find a new supplier of chicken.

“We will bring back dishes like fried tofu, fried pork chop and prawn salad, but we will not use frozen chicken,” founder Foo Kui Lian said in a statement, according to The Straits Times.

Malaysia’s ban on chicken exports comes as other nations across the globe grapple with soaring food prices, partly caused by the war between Russia and Ukraine. The latter is a major exporter of corn and grains, key ingredients in chicken feed.

In early May, India, the second-largest producer and biggest consumer of sugar in the world, announced it was restricting its sugar exports to 10 million tons. In the 2021-2022 financial year, the country exported 7 metric tons of sugar.

In other countries, including Africa, Asia and the United States, a shortage in potato supplies has led fast-food restaurants to limit or temporarily suspend the selling of products like french fries and chips.