Singapore shares agricultural expertise with neigbhouring countries

Singapore may have a tiny agricultural sector, but it has agricultural expertise, which it has shared with its ASEAN neighbours. 

This is revealed in the blog entry of Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan this noon.

He noted that the Napho Lao-Singapore Fish Hatchery in Vientiane was set up in 2002 with technical assistance and funding from Singapore. 

Now into its10th year, the hatchery produces fish fry of more than four million a year -- far more than the initial target of one million. 

And the tilapia fish bred there has become synonymous with Singapore. 

A popular choice in Laos, it's often simply called the Singapore fish in restaurants there.

Mr Khaw made the remarks while referring to a visit to the hatchery by his ministry's Senior Parliamentary Secretary last month. 

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman had visited the hatchery on the sides of an ASEAN meeting in Laos. 

Mr Khaw further revealed that while the hatchery is doing well, the farmers have asked for help to further improve its operations. 

So the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) will conduct a training course in modern tilapia culture and post-harvest technology for the Lao hatchery in the coming months. 

That'll be done with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Singapore Cooperation Programme. 

Mr Khaw said that with such efforts, Singapore gets to strengthen regional ties, and also diversity its food sources to meet consumption needs. 

In another effort, National Development Senior Minister of State Lee Yi Shyan had led a delegation of AVA experts and Singapore businessmen to Myanmar last week. 

They met up with ministers and government officials who have asked Singapore to help raise the productivity of their agricultural sector. 

The Myanmar authorities also welcome more purchases from them. 

Mr Khaw said it's a win-win situation as Singapore is always on the lookout for more opportunities to further increasing food import from Myanmar.