How viable are farms when alternative lease sites are too costly?

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Farms can become non-viable when alternative lease sites are too costly and too short
Farms slated for closure in Lim Chu Kang were given final lease extensions of seven to 14 months, after which the land is to be taken over by the military for army training grounds. In cases where farmers were allocated alternative sites, they reported that the new leases were too expensive and too short to be viable, leaving many without a workable option after their leases end.
Final lease extensions run from seven to 14 months before military use
More than 70 farms in Lim Chu Kang were facing termination of their land leases, with final extensions ranging between seven and 14 months. After these extensions, the land used by the farms is planned to be taken over by the military for use as an army training ground.
Farmers who received alternative sites said the terms were not workable
The information available indicates that in many cases, farms losing their leases did not find alternative sites. Where alternative sites were allocated, farmers shared that the new leases were too expensive and too short to be viable for continuing operations.
The government’s land-use logic prioritises defence and industries over open farms
The closure is framed around the view that traditional open farm-style agriculture is not productive enough to be viable in a land-scarce, wealthier country. Scarce land is described as better allocated to industries and defence that generate money and security, with the idea that money and security can support food purchases and investment in high-tech agri-production.
High-tech farming is described as more intensive, but traditional farms serve other roles
The discussion contrasts open farms with intensive high-tech agri-production facilities such as indoor hydroponic systems using advanced lighting and robotics to produce more food from a small area. It also points out that traditional farms can offer learning opportunities in a natural setting, including for children and families, and that farm businesses and workers would face livelihood impacts when leases end.

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How viable are farms when alternative lease sites are too costly?

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