Improved import conditions for Australian poultry meat to Singapore

Singapore has improved import conditions for Australian chilled and frozen poultry meat. 

As at 1 September 2022, these exports no longer require an official government veterinarian to be present for ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection.

This regulatory change makes the temporary exemption implemented on 1 June 2022 permanent. The change was progressed by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

Recent changes to streamline export establishment listings will also remain in place.

Benefits for Australian poultry exporters

Revised inspection requirements and streamlined listing approval processes improve Australia’s access to Singapore’s poultry meat market. The permanent measure gives Australian exporters and Singaporean importers confidence about future trading conditions.

These regulatory changes are already having a significant impact on Australian poultry exports.

• Temporarily improved import conditions led to a sharp spike in Australian poultry meat exports to Singapore in 2020 (see Figure 1).
• Improved import conditions announced in June 2022 led to a 54% increase in exports in June–July compared to the corresponding period last year. The impact of these changes will be clear during the 2022–23 financial year.
• The SFA has approved 8 Australian poultry export businesses since June 2022.

DAFF has issued detailed information about the regulatory change in its Market Access Advice 2260 (login required).

Australian poultry exports to Singapore

Singapore is typically a minor market for Australian poultry meat. When the SFA implemented a similar exemption in 2020, Singapore became Australia’s fourth most valuable poultry meat export market in that year. Exports to Singapore were worth A$7.9 million or 9% of total poultry meat exports.

Under the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement, these exports have a nil tariff rate.

Singapore is a major global market for poultry meat and live chickens. Between 2019 and 2021, Singapore imported an average of US$381 million of poultry meat each year. It also imported US$214 million of live chicken each year (Source: TradeMap 2022).

Figure 1: Australian poultry meat exports 2017–18 to 2021–22

Singapore continues to diversify agricultural imports

With 90% of food sourced overseas, Singapore has a strong focus on food security. Founded in 2019, the SFA has a comprehensive strategy to safeguard food security.

Improved import conditions for Australian poultry are part of Singapore’s effort to diversify its poultry meat sources. Other countries, including Indonesia, have also recently received approval to export chicken meat to Singapore.

Resources

Importing country requirements for meat, including recent market access advice notices, are available in the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (login required). Questions regarding market access can be sent to DAFF at exportstandards@agriculture.gov.au.

The Australian Government’s network of Agriculture Counsellors provided information for this article. More information about the Agriculture Counsellor network, including contact details, is available on the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website.