Agriculture in Singapore is a small industry, contributing less than 0.5 percent of the country gross domestic product (GDP), as of 2010.[1] There was a total of 153 land-based and 72 sea-based food farms in 2024, with value of total local food production estimated at S$231 million. Singapore also produces non-food agriculture items such as orchids, ornamental and foliage plants and ornamental fish for export and domestic markets. Singapore is a global exporter of quality cut orchids and ornamental fish.
In March 2019, the government of Singapore set the "30 by 30" goal which aims to produce 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030.[2] In 2024, hen shell eggs, vegetable, and seafood farms contributed around 34%, 3%, and 6%, of Singapore's total food consumption respectively.[3]
In 1987, there were officially 2,075 farms in Singapore, covering an area of 2,037 hectares (5,030 acres), an average of less than 1 hectare (2.5 acres) per farm.[4]
Before modernised development, Orchard Road was a stretch of agricultural orchards. As with many other areas, the farms there soon began to disappear, and Singapore became more reliant on overseas imports.[4] One major issue in 1984 was the health concerns with pig farms in Singapore, concerning the pollution of the environment.[4]
Major agricultural products
Food crops
Singapore's local food production focuses on hen eggs,vegetables, and seafood. Vegetables produced locally include leafy greens like bayam (Chinese spinach), choy sum, bok choy, kangkong (water spinach), beansprouts and some mushrooms. For seafood, commonly farmed species include Asian seabass (barramundi), red snapper, groupers, milkfish, and grey mullet.
A small quantity of tropical fruits such as rambutans, and mangosteens are also farmed in Singapore.[5]
Non-food crops
Singapore's non-food agriculture sector is a niche, high-value industry focused primarily on orchids and ornamental fish. Singapore is a global exporter of both items, and key export markets include Japan, the United States, Australia, and territories in Western Europe.[4][5]
Notable companies and exporters include Qian Hu Corporation Limited (ornamental fish), Sunbeam Aquarium (ornamental fish) and Orchidville (orchid).
Local Production & Food Security
About 90 percent of the country's food comes from overseas imports, making food security an important issue.[1] The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the vulnerabilities to Singapore's food supply.
In March 2019, the government of Singapore set the "30 by 30" goal which aims to produce 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. More land was tendered for agricultural use, accompanied by requirements and incentives for deployment of higher productivity technologies. To develop the agriculture and agri-technology sector, the following key sector-specific programs and schemes were pushed out between 2019-2021:
30x30 Express: $30 million competitive grant program launched by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in 2020, awarded to vegetable, fish and egg farms expanding farming capacity using high-tech and controlled environment farming methods[6]
Agri-food Cluster Transformation (ACT) Fund: $60 million fund introduced by SFA in April 2021 to support local farms in adopting technology and advanced farming systems along the farm-to-fork value chain
Singapore Food Story R&D grant: S$144 million was set aside for researchers, institutions and companies seeking to develop and commercialize agri-tech solutions with a focus on controlled environment settings
Notwithstanding the above efforts, local production of food crops, with exception of hen shell eggs have declined. According to the annual Singapore Food Statistics published by the Singapore Food Agency, from 2019 - 2024:
Hen shell egg production has increased from 528 million pieces to 773 million pieces
Vegetable production has declined from 24.3 thousand tonnes to 16.4 thousand tonnes
Seafood production has declined from 5.3 thousand tonnes to 3.5 thousand tonnes
From 1 April 2019, Singapore Food Agency took over food-related functions previously carried out by former Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, National Environment Agency, and Health Sciences Authority. From 1 April 2019, National Parks Board took over non-food, plant and animal related functions previously carried out by former Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority.
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