Singapore looks to resume live pig imports from Indonesia’s Bulan as another source besides Malaysia
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Slaughtered pigs are transported to pork supplier OJJ Foods, where they will be left in this chiller room before being butchered.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
SINGAPORE - The authorities are looking to resume live pig imports from Pulau Bulan in Indonesia after these were paused in April 2023 following the detection of African swine fever in a consignment of pigs from the island.
This is part of ongoing plans by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to diversify safe food sources for the nation.
“SFA and the Animal and Veterinary Service, a cluster of the National Parks Board, are working with Indonesia’s Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services on the resumption of pig imports from Pulau Bulan in Indonesia,” said SFA, responding to The Straits Times’ queries.
“The agencies will conduct an official assessment for the resumption of pig imports when the exporting farm is ready,” said SFA.
In 2024, the top sources of pork for the domestic market were Australia, Brazil and Germany, according to the agency.
Malaysia, specifically Sarawak, is Singapore’s only source of live pigs. The animals are slaughtered here and sold as chilled pork.
Singapore also imports chilled pork from places like Australia and Canada. Frozen pork comes from Brazil, the US, Spain and China, among others.
FairPrice Group is the only importer of live pigs to Singapore. This is done through its subsidiary OJJ Foods, a pork processor and supplier.
The group imports about 3,000 live pigs from Malaysia every week, accounting for almost half of its pork sales. It started importing live pigs from Malaysia in 2017, after a ban since 1999 was lifted.
The 1999 ban came about after an outbreak of the Nipah virus, which is carried by pigs, killed about 100 pig farmers in Malaysia and an abattoir worker here.
“We know just how important quality and variety are to local families. By bringing in live pigs from Malaysia, we want to provide our customers with the best when it comes to freshness and flavour,” said OJJ Foods chief executive Danny Ong.
The group will increase its import of live pigs by about 20 per cent – or about 600 pigs – in February, ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations, said Mr David Goh, chief executive of supermarkets at FairPrice Group.
He said the group has seen an increase in demand for pork in the past three years.
Twice a week, live pigs from Malaysia are shipped to Singapore under strict veterinary controls and inspected upon arrival.
PHOTO: FAIRPRICE GROUP
Twice a week, live pigs from Malaysia are shipped to Singapore under strict veterinary controls and inspected upon arrival. They are then transported to an SFA-licensed abattoir in Jurong, where they are slaughtered.
Pigs are then delivered to OJJ Foods in Chin Bee Avenue. The animals are butchered and packaged there before being delivered to FairPrice supermarkets and wet markets, as well as other food services such as restaurants and manufacturers, within the same day.
“Fresh pork from Malaysia is the most popular variety of pork with our customers,” said Mr Goh.
The group will increase its import of live pigs by about 20 per cent in February, ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations.
PHOTO: FAIRPRICE GROUP
The live animals brought in are a cross of four different known pig breeds. Mr Goh said their meat is preferred by Singaporeans as they have the right balance of lean meat and fat, and are not gamey.
These pigs are grain-fed for 180 days on a clean diet of maize, soya beans and wheat bran, and are reared without antibiotics or growth promoters, he added.
Importing live pigs helps to strengthen the group’s supply chain as the firm has more oversight over the product.
“We know exactly which farm our pork comes from, we can control how the pork is butchered and processed in the factory, and how it is packaged and delivered to our stores,” said Mr Goh.
The animals are butchered and packaged at OJJ Foods before being delivered to FairPrice supermarkets and other food services.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
As part of efforts to diversify its pork sources, FairPrice also imports fresh pork from Perth and Brisbane in Australia.
“We are always looking for ways to strengthen and diversify our supply chain to keep essential proteins like pork accessible for Singaporeans,” said Mr Goh.
The group also imports frozen pork from Brazil, Japan, Poland, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.
Packed fresh pork being checked at OJJ Foods. The pork is delivered to FairPrice supermarkets and wet market within the same day.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Other supermarket chains also sell chilled and frozen pork from a variety of sources. For example, Sheng Siong, Cold Storage and Giant sell chilled pork from Australia. Their frozen pork is sourced from places like Brazil, Germany and Spain.
“This diversified approach helps manage supply risks and cost volatility while ensuring consistent availability and strict compliance with food safety and regulatory standards,” said a spokesperson for Sheng Siong.
A spokesperson for Cold Storage and Giant said: “Pork is an essential for many households, especially during festive periods when demand typically increases.”
“To ensure continuity of supply, we plan ahead and maintain a diversified sourcing strategy which strengthens supply resilience.”
