SETTING UP OF THAI-SINGAPORE ENTERPRISE (Effect on farmers' livelihood)

Mr Ng Kah Ting: To ask the Minister for National Development and Communications whether the local farm produce will be affected under the bilateral agreement to set up the Thai-Singapore Enterprise whereby Singapore will buy farm products and other commodities from Thailand in exchange for Singapore products, and, if so, whether and what steps will be taken to ensure that our farmers' livelihood will not be affected.

Mr Speaker: Mr Ng Kah Ting.

Mr Yeo Toon Chia (Ang Mo Kio): Question No. 6, Sir.

Dr Tan Eng Liang (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, as Singapore has limited land available for agriculture, we are dependent on foreign imports for a wide range of agricultural produce. We import 100% of our rice requirement, 75% of fish, 78% of all vegetables and over 90% of fruits consumed. Raw ingredients used for the manufacture of pig and poultry feed are also imported.

The joint enterprise between Singapore and Thailand will promote import of Thai agricultural produce into Singapore and export of fertiliser, agriculture insecticide and farm machineries from Singapore to Thailand. It is also proposed to establish a joint venture livestock farm in Thailand. It is envisaged that the farm will initially produce cattle for export to Singapore. Pigs will also be produced for export to other markets, but when there is a shortage of pigs in Singapore we can also import pigs from the farm. The joint enterprise should therefore not affect the livelihood of our farmers but will make available to Singapore a wider range of agricultural produce including animal feed ingredients required by our pig and poultry farms, as well as stabilising prices of meats in Singapore.