SINGAPORE: New purchase limits will be implemented across NTUC FairPrice stores from Tuesday (Mar 17), following Malaysia's announcement on travel restrictions in and out of the country.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Monday night there would be a ban on Malaysians travelling overseas and on visitors entering the country under a restricted movement order imposed from Wednesday to Mar 31.
AdvertisementAdvertisementLong queues were spotted at supermarkets in Singapore following Mr Muhyiddin's announcement, with Malaysia being one of Singapore's sources of food supply.
[h=3]READ: Singapore has months' worth of stockpiles, planned for disruption of supplies from Malaysia for years: Chan Chun Sing[/h]In response to CNA queries, FairPrice said shoppers will only be allowed to buy four units of paper products, such as toilet paper, facial tissues and kitchen towels.
They will also be limited to two units of instant noodles or pasta and two bags of rice per customer.
AdvertisementAdvertisementShoppers will only be allowed to purchase S$30 of vegetables, S$30 of fresh poultry, and three packs of 10 eggs or a tray of 30 eggs each.
Notices explaining the new purchase limits have gone up at FairPrice stores.
Sign at a Fairprice store in Clementi showing the new purchase limits. (Photo: Ang Hwee Min)
A notice showing the new purchase limits at the Fairprice store in Junction 8.
NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that he was at FairPrice supermarkets on Monday night and Tuesday morning to check on the situation.
“I can understand that people are concerned but rest assured that NTUC FairPrice has stocks ready,” he wrote.
“Buy only what you need please, otherwise we may see some empty shelves again and this in turn will cause unnecessary panic buying. Keep calm and shop smartly.”
FairPrice Group CEO Seah Kian Peng wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that while queues and purchases have increased, they have remained orderly and "certainly not chaotic".
"Since this morning, we have instituted buying restrictions on a few categories (eggs, vegetables and fresh poultry) where Malaysia is an important but not the only source of supply," he said.
"Previous buying restrictions (rice, paper and instant noodles) remain in place. As before the limits are set at levels which are adequate for every household."
He added that "we have been diversifying our sources of supply so that we are not overly dependent on any one source".
"At the same time for certain categories, we have been deliberately and carefully building up the inventory holding in our warehouses. This remains an ongoing process," he explained.
FairPrice will be doing more supply runs to its stores and it will "take time" to get these items onto shelves, Mr Seah said.
He thanked shoppers for buying "sensibly and encouraging others to do the same".
Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said that Singapore has months’ worth of stockpiles at the national level, and has planned for disruption of supplies from Malaysia over many years.
Currently, Singapore has more than three months' worth of carbohydrates like rice and noodles, and more than two months' worth of stockpiles for proteins and vegetables, he said.
He added that Singapore has plans to manage a disruption of supplies from Malaysia through a combination of stockpiling, local production and diversification of overseas sources.
While there are travel restrictions by various countries, this does not equate to restrictions in the supply chain, he noted, adding that Singapore is in contact with Malaysian authorities to work on operation details.
[h=3]READ: Singapore 'not facing any immediate risks of running out of food': Chan Chun Sing on Malaysia's restricted movement order[/h]"Some Singaporeans are concerned with the supplies of food and essential items," he said.
"Many companies with Malaysian workers are concerned with the continuity of their operations. Let me first say that a disruption of supplies from Malaysia is one of the contingency scenarios that we have planned for over the many years.”
Adding that the combination of stockpiling and production would allow Singapore time to bring in alternative supplies if usual supply lines are disrupted, he said: "So in this particular instance, the Malaysian lines have been disrupted and our stockpile and local production will buy us time to bring in alternative supplies.”
[h=3]BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the novel coronavirus and its developments[/h]Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
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Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Monday night there would be a ban on Malaysians travelling overseas and on visitors entering the country under a restricted movement order imposed from Wednesday to Mar 31.
AdvertisementAdvertisementLong queues were spotted at supermarkets in Singapore following Mr Muhyiddin's announcement, with Malaysia being one of Singapore's sources of food supply.
[h=3]READ: Singapore has months' worth of stockpiles, planned for disruption of supplies from Malaysia for years: Chan Chun Sing[/h]In response to CNA queries, FairPrice said shoppers will only be allowed to buy four units of paper products, such as toilet paper, facial tissues and kitchen towels.
They will also be limited to two units of instant noodles or pasta and two bags of rice per customer.
AdvertisementAdvertisementShoppers will only be allowed to purchase S$30 of vegetables, S$30 of fresh poultry, and three packs of 10 eggs or a tray of 30 eggs each.
Notices explaining the new purchase limits have gone up at FairPrice stores.
NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that he was at FairPrice supermarkets on Monday night and Tuesday morning to check on the situation.
“I can understand that people are concerned but rest assured that NTUC FairPrice has stocks ready,” he wrote.
“Buy only what you need please, otherwise we may see some empty shelves again and this in turn will cause unnecessary panic buying. Keep calm and shop smartly.”
FairPrice Group CEO Seah Kian Peng wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that while queues and purchases have increased, they have remained orderly and "certainly not chaotic".
"Since this morning, we have instituted buying restrictions on a few categories (eggs, vegetables and fresh poultry) where Malaysia is an important but not the only source of supply," he said.
"Previous buying restrictions (rice, paper and instant noodles) remain in place. As before the limits are set at levels which are adequate for every household."
He added that "we have been diversifying our sources of supply so that we are not overly dependent on any one source".
"At the same time for certain categories, we have been deliberately and carefully building up the inventory holding in our warehouses. This remains an ongoing process," he explained.
FairPrice will be doing more supply runs to its stores and it will "take time" to get these items onto shelves, Mr Seah said.
He thanked shoppers for buying "sensibly and encouraging others to do the same".
Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said that Singapore has months’ worth of stockpiles at the national level, and has planned for disruption of supplies from Malaysia over many years.
Currently, Singapore has more than three months' worth of carbohydrates like rice and noodles, and more than two months' worth of stockpiles for proteins and vegetables, he said.
He added that Singapore has plans to manage a disruption of supplies from Malaysia through a combination of stockpiling, local production and diversification of overseas sources.
While there are travel restrictions by various countries, this does not equate to restrictions in the supply chain, he noted, adding that Singapore is in contact with Malaysian authorities to work on operation details.
[h=3]READ: Singapore 'not facing any immediate risks of running out of food': Chan Chun Sing on Malaysia's restricted movement order[/h]"Some Singaporeans are concerned with the supplies of food and essential items," he said.
"Many companies with Malaysian workers are concerned with the continuity of their operations. Let me first say that a disruption of supplies from Malaysia is one of the contingency scenarios that we have planned for over the many years.”
Adding that the combination of stockpiling and production would allow Singapore time to bring in alternative supplies if usual supply lines are disrupted, he said: "So in this particular instance, the Malaysian lines have been disrupted and our stockpile and local production will buy us time to bring in alternative supplies.”
[h=3]BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the novel coronavirus and its developments[/h]Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...