Chicken rice: Why Singapore's much-loved dish is under threat

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She eats chicken rice 3 times a week.

It is the top of my list. She says it's easy to access. She can get a standard order at Ah Keat Chicken Rice for S$4.

A plate of chicken on a bed of fragrant rice is one of the most popular meals in Singapore. It's called the country's national dish. One stallholder thinks that Singapore can have chicken rice. It is similar to not having pizza in New York.

The meal may become more expensive in the future.

Chicken has been affected by export curbs.

Some Asian nations have banned the export of key foods as they try to protect their supplies at home. Malaysia reduced the amount of chickens it could export.

India banned wheat exports and limited overseas sales of sugar, while Indonesia stopped the export of palm oil in order to control cooking oil prices.

Concerns have been raised that the cost of essential items will continue to rise because of the moves. Singapore, which imports more than 90 percent of its food, is worried about the curbs. Malaysia is the island nation's main supplier of chicken.

The news of the export curb led to long lines at chicken rice stalls in Singapore.

Next time it might be something else. The Prime Minister of Singapore said that they have to be prepared.

Chicken rice is usually cooked in Singapore and eaten live from Malaysia.

The ban on chicken exports from Malaysia has made this impossible.

The owner of Ah Keat Chicken Rice said he didn't want to raise prices even though his Malaysian supplier was increasing the price by 20%.

"We don't want to raise the price of chicken rice because it might drive away customers." We expect to be able to absorb the price for about a month. We have to increase prices by 50 cents a plate.

He is worried that he won't be able to get enough chicken in the near future.

He might have to use frozen meat to make up the shortfall.

There is a perception of frozen that is different. I haven't seen a big change. Chickens in fast food restaurants taste great.

There aren't as many options for meat sellers. Hamid bin Buang has been selling chicken at the market for more than a decade.

He said his customers have been buying more of the meat in recent days, but he is not sure when he can replenish his stock.

Everyone is concerned now. He said that everyone is in trouble when there is no chicken.

The effects of countries limiting exports are felt throughout the supply chains of producers, retailers and customers.

Some producers worry about surviving, livelihoods and also about future contracts, according to Mr Teng.

If prices are increased, customers might leave the store.

He said that he expects inflation, which is the rate prices of food and other essentials rise, to continue because of the Ukraine war.

Chicken, the most consumed meat in Singapore and the UK, is becoming more expensive due to this.

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India has banned wheat and sugar exports.

The country is the largest sugar producer in the world.

Commodity traders were expecting India to make up for part of the shortfall after Ukraine's wheat exports plummeted after the beginning of the war.

According to David Laborde, a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington DC, India's example is problematic and a lot of smaller economies are thinking if India does it.

Indonesia, the top producer of palm oil in the world, halted exports for three weeks this year to bring down cooking oil prices.

The impact of the export curbs on consumers was warned by Mr Laborde.

The poor are the first to be hit by the high cost of food. He said that in some cases they have to cut expenditures.

Ms Chong said she hopes price increases won't stop her from eating chicken rice.

Coffeeshops or restaurants should still be supported if we can afford it. She said that we should not hold back because it went up.