IMPORT OF FRESH PORK FROM MALAYSIA

IMPORT OF FRESH PORK FROM MALAYSIA

34.

Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Minister for National Development (a) when will Singapore allow the import of fresh pork from Malaysia; and (b) how much has the fresh pork price increased since 1995.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: Pork Import from Malaysia

In considering whether to approve food imports to Singapore, including fresh pork* , AVA must be satisfied that the food items are safe and pose minimal risk to public health.

On import of fresh pork from Malaysia, AVA has two specific concerns - namely, the Nipah virus and Foot-and-Mouth disease (or FMD). Nipah virus can be spread from live pigs to humans, where it is potentially fatal. Singapore banned live pigs from Malaysia in 1999, following an outbreak of the Nipah virus there. In that outbreak, 11 abattoir workers in Singapore were infected and one died. Although Malaysia has declared that its pig population is now free of Nipah virus, the virus is still present in its wild bat population and may re-infect pigs.

As for FMD, even though it does not affect humans, Singapore could still lose its FMD-free status if it imports meat from non FMD-free areas such as Peninsular Malaysia. This would impact our export trade in meat valued at $30 million per year, and milk and dairy products valued at $226 million per year.

AVA therefore has to ensure that stringent quarantine conditions, regular audits and other controls are in place in pig farms before imports from Malaysia can be allowed. AVA is now working with Malaysia's Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) on a zonal approach to establish Johore as a disease-free zone. To minimise the risk of Nipah disease entering Singapore, we will consider only the import of pork, and not live pigs, at this stage. Only the frozen type is considered, as it is of lower risk because consignments have much longer shelf life and can be held back for tests on food-borne pathogens and chemical contaminants, allowing only safe meat to enter our food supply.

DVS is now carrying out FMD surveillance in Johore. Once Johore is confirmed FMD-free, AVA will work on the accreditation of bio-secured pig farms and an export abattoir. Import of frozen pork from Johore could be allowed once these steps have been carried out.

Meanwhile, AVA has also diversified the sources of pork supply. Currently, 19 countries can export frozen pork to Singapore, of which six can export chilled pork to us. Live pigs are also imported from a farm on Pulau Bulan in Indonesia for slaughter here.

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Pork Prices

The retail price of chilled or fresh lean pork has risen steadily over the last 10 years by about 55%, from $6.70 per kg in 1996 to $10.50 per kg in July 2005. Increase in pork prices in recent years is due to factors such as rising feed prices, increases in fuel and transportation costs, and increased world demand for pork. Consumers have switched to pork due to diseases such as the Mad Cow Disease and Bird Flu affecting cattle and poultry respectively.

Today, many of our food industry and food service providers are already using frozen pork. Consumers can also consider buying frozen or frozen-thawed pork at some of our local meat retail outlets as an alternative. Retail prices of frozen pork are generally cheaper than that of chilled pork, and the difference could be as much as up to 50% for lean meat cuts, or 30% for loin cuts.

*This is meat from either live pigs imported for slaughter in Singapore , or imported chilled pork.