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.
At least one farmer in Singapore, who produces a range of fish such as red snapper and barramundi, told ST that he is considering raising prices for his fish, although he will do so only as a last resort.
Mr Malcolm Ong, founder of The Fish Farmer, said he imports most of the farm’s fish feed from Malaysia and Vietnam, so he anticipates that higher fuel costs could increase his production costs.
“At the moment we haven’t increased prices, but we are coming to a point where we cannot keep absorbing this cost increase because the fuel cost is not a small jump, it’s a big one,” he said, noting that transport and logistics costs are already impacted.
Ms Fu said climate change impacts, such as water scarcity or extreme weather affecting crop yields, could also affect people here in a similar way.
That is why it is important for Singapore to build up its resilience against such disruptions. This will involve insulating itself from risks as much as possible, and recovering quickly when it is hit, she said.
“We can never totally insulate ourselves because we are dependent on imports,” she said.
Singapore imports more than 90 per cent of its food. “So as much as possible, either you diversify, stockpile, or you have some other ways that can reduce the reliance on the single market or increase your leverage in ensuring that there’s actually supply coming to you,” she added.
During the interview, Ms Fu touched on why her ministry had made climate adaptation – or efforts to protect people and places from climate change impacts – a national priority for 2026.
