Why some young Singaporeans are becoming farmers, despite low pay and tough conditions

Despite having a background in aerospace engineering, he taught himself how to farm through online resources. 

Today, Straits Agriculture sells produce such as salad greens and mushrooms online, delivering them fresh to customers every Friday.

Mr Teo said he faces high operating costs but tries to cut expenses by keeping water usage low and avoiding LED lights, industrial fans and air conditioning.

“I don’t think we’re going to break even anytime soon,” he said. 

“Operationally, our cost is still relatively high … But we are still constantly fighting and battling prices from our imports, from outside our borders. There is no way we can beat their prices. We can try to be competitive, but that eats into our revenue as well as our profits.”

He plans to continue farming until his lease expires in 2027 and is exploring other locations for his farm.