\n<\/p>\n
At SG Veg Farm in Admiralty, fertiliser costs are a growing concern.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The rooftop farm atop a HDB multi-storey carpark imports fertiliser in small batches due to space constraints, maintaining only about two months\u2019 supply. This means it lacks the benefit of bulk pricing and remains exposed to price volatility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery two months, we need to make a purchase of fertiliser. This means we are subjected to any hike in prices,\u201d said the farm\u2019s founder Eyleen Goh, noting that about 10 per cent of monthly operating costs is spent on fertiliser.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe looked at the prices of many different nutrients … they all increased, especially urea.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Urea is the world’s most widely used fertiliser.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Switching to alternative sources is also \u201cvery difficult\u201d, added Ms Goh, pointing to factors such as suitability, cost and the need to order in bulk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The farm grows leafy greens such as spinach, basil, chye sim, kang kong and bok choy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While fertiliser costs are beyond her control, Ms Goh is exploring ways to reduce other expenses over the next six months, including redesigning the farm to optimise space and rely more on sunlight to cut electricity use.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said the farm is trying to avoid passing costs on to consumers \u2013 over fears that already low demand could drop even further \u2013 but may eventually have no choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the prices increase continuously, there’s no way we can sustain all of this,\u201d she told CNA.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a very small commercial farm and \u2026 we are (already) operating at kind of very close to breakeven. We don\u2019t have the luxury of buffering any price increases.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
At Jurong-based Vegeponics, the farm said it has enough fertiliser stock for the next six to nine months.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, its immediate pressure comes from higher fuel prices that are pushing up transport and electricity costs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n