Why has Singapore resumed live pig imports from Malaysia after 18 years?

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Singapore Resumes Live Pig Imports from Malaysia After 18 Years Due to Foot-and-Mouth Disease-Free Status and Diversification of Supply

Singapore has resumed live pig imports from Malaysia after an 18-year hiatus, primarily because a specific region in Malaysia has achieved and maintained a foot-and-mouth-disease-free status. This development, coupled with Singapore's strategic goal of diversifying its food supply sources, has led to the approval of a farm in Sarawak as an export destination for live pigs. The live pigs will be slaughtered locally in Singapore and sold as chilled pork.
Sarawak Achieves Foot-and-Mouth Disease-Free Status

The resumption of imports is contingent upon Sarawak's recognition as a foot-and-mouth-disease-free region by the World Organisation for Animal Health in 2010. This status was crucial because the previous suspension on live pig and raw pork imports from Malaysia, in place since 1999 due to a Nipah virus outbreak, persisted due to concerns over foot-and-mouth disease in other parts of Malaysia. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore assessed Sarawak's animal and veterinary public health programmes, leading to its approval for frozen pork exports in 2015, and subsequently, live pig shipments this year.
Diversification of Food Supply Sources

Singapore's AVA explicitly stated that purchasing from diverse sources provides a crucial buffer against potential short-term food supply disruptions from any single origin. This strategic objective underpins the decision to re-establish Malaysia, specifically Sarawak, as a source of live pigs, supplementing existing supplies from Pulau Bulan in Indonesia. This approach aims to enhance the resilience of Singapore's food security by reducing reliance on a limited number of suppliers.
Historical Context of Import Restrictions

The ban on live pigs and raw pork from Malaysia was initially imposed in 1999 following an outbreak of the Nipah virus, a disease carried by pigs that resulted in significant fatalities among pig farmers in Malaysia and one abattoir worker in Singapore. Although no new Nipah virus outbreaks have been reported, the foot-and-mouth disease concerns in other Malaysian regions maintained the import suspension for raw pork. Processed pork products from approved Malaysian establishments were permitted only if heat-treated to inactivate the disease.

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Why has Singapore resumed live pig imports from Malaysia after 18 years?

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