On Supporting Local Produce In Resource-Scarce Singapore
With a considerable proportion of farmers in Asia and in the world staying home due to nationwide movement restrictions as well as anxiety of being infected with COVID-19, Singapore’s food supply chain, while still intact, has nevertheless had to bear the aftermath of the decrease in worldwide production abilities in factories and farms.
Augmenting the supply chain drama in Singapore and beyond has been the phenomenon of panic-buying by many kiasu (‘fear of losing out’) consumers.
Certainly, these sobering times have prompted many of us in Singapore and beyond to rethink our supply chain systems and to avoid a global food shortage.
Should we continue our primary existing (and past) reliance on overseas food markets, such as food sources in Malaysia, or should we invest more time and resources in developing our own homegrown food supply?
The answer is not so clear-cut.
Yet, a leaf out of my past experiences living overseas can hopefully provide some food-for-thought with regard to diversifying Singapore’s supply chain.
Having lived in various countries including Thailand, Japan and Poland, I have had my share of shopping experiences with vendors (and farmers) at farmers’ markets. As a Singaporean, I was heartened by the…
