Indonesia looks to export chickens to shortage-hit Singapore

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA, June 20 (Reuters): Indonesian authorities hope to reach an agreement with Singapore to start exporting chickens within weeks, officials said, as the city-state scrambles to find alternative supply sources after another neighbour Malaysia restricted sales.
In a further sign of growing global food shortages and supply chain issues, Malaysia halted chicken exports this month until local production and soaring costs stabilise.
The move had a knock-on impact in Singapore with restaurants and street stalls hiking prices of its de-facto national dish, chicken rice.
Susiwijono Moegiarso, a senior official at Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs, said authorities had conducted "technical discussions" with Singapore and hoped exports could start this month.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a statement it was "working closely" with Indonesian authorities over accreditation of the country as a potential source of chicken imports.