Singapore studying food donations past ‘best by’ date; MPs back motion on food resilience, waste reduction

The government offers targeted and time-limited assistance during periods of shock, Ms Fu said, citing the one-off Farm Business Resilience Support grant introduced in July to help local farms cope with cost pressures from the Middle East conflict. More than 80 farms have applied over the past month.

On demand for local produce, Ms Fu said SFA is supporting the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation to aggregate supply from farms and match it with demand.

Ms Fu said the aim was not simply to increase the number of farms, subsidise operating costs indefinitely or guarantee demand, but to help farms make structural changes, gain economies of scale and become more viable over the long term.

Responding to Mr Ng’s call to clarify the long-term strategy on alternative proteins, Ms Fu said the global alternative protein industry has faced headwinds, including weaker-than-expected consumer acceptance.

The government has supported more than 50 alternative protein projects with about S$130 million in research and development funding.

For cell-based proteins, this includes efforts to reduce production costs and scale up manufacturing, while work on plant-based proteins includes improving their nutrition, taste and texture.

The minister said that Singapore has built a food system that has “weathered a pandemic, conflicts, and climate stresses”. 

“This resilience is the result of deliberate choices and collective effort by the government, the industry, and our people. It must be renewed with every generation,” she added. 

“Our commitment is clear: whatever happens beyond our shores, our essential food needs will be met.”