Business as usual in Singapore in first week of Malaysia’s chicken export ban, but uncertainty remains

A WEEK into Malaysia’s chicken export ban, restaurants say they have sufficient stock and supermarkets have brought in alternatives – but suppliers remain worried about how long the ban will last, with some considering longer-term pivots.

On Jun 1, Malaysia halted the export of about 3.6 million whole chickens a month, in an attempt to stabilise domestic supplies and to bring down chicken prices. With about one-third of Singapore’s chicken supplies coming from Malaysia, the direct impact of the ban differs across the food and beverage (F&B) industry, though it has driven up chicken prices overall.

Restaurants told The Business Times (BT) that the export ban does not pose a critical supply threat, as fluctuations in supply are a common occurrence. They have not seen a surge in consumer demand, nor have they changed their menu prices.