Japfa has delivered 23,000 live chickens to Singapore via its subsidiary in Bintan.
This marks the first time live chickens have been imported from Indonesia via sea.
"This shipment is a notable achievement and will serve to test a new important option to supply fresh chicken to Singapore, with the birds transported live via sea and slaughtered in the destination country," says Japfa in its May 14 announcement.
Singapore has been trying to diversify its sources of food imports with the pandemic.
Singapore imports the bulk of its chicken from Malaysia and Brazil.
The former, in a bid to control rising domestic prices, had imposed a temporary ban on export of chickens between May and October last year.
Japfa says it supplies around 20% of the chickens consumed in Indonesia.
"As a leading industrialised agri-food player, with more than 50 years of experience in producing staple protein foods in Asia, we can meet Singapore’s demand and standards based on our attention to quality and our vertically integrated business model from poultry feed production and breeding to farming and food processing," says Japfa CEO Tan Yong Nang.
"This shipment is the result of the combined efforts of Japfa, Singapore and Indonesia’s authorities, and we look forward to expanding further our contribution to feed Singapore consumers with nutritious proteins," he adds.
"Today's export to Singapore is a proof that Indonesian livestock products are of good quality and are able to meet food safety requirements in accordance with international standards," says Director General of Livestock and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir Nasrullah.
