Singapore’s progress toward food self-sufficiency goal hindered by slow demand recovery after the pandemic
Singapore’s ambitious “30 by 30” food security goal, which aims to produce 30% of the nation’s food needs locally by 2030, is still a long way off due to weak post-Covid demand, according to industry stakeholders. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted local food production and supply, particularly affecting industries like hotels, restaurants, and catering services, which were key consumers of locally grown produce.
James Kwan, CEO of the Barramundi Group, explained that during the pandemic lockdowns, much of the demand from high-end hotels and Michelin-star restaurants vanished. This, combined with the continued low demand for locally produced food, has made it difficult for local farms to grow their market share in Singapore’s food consumption. In 2022, local vegetable farms contributed just 3.9% to Singapore’s total food consumption, down from 4.5% in 2019.
