叶汉荣（杨厝港单选区国会议员）先生针对近期有高科技农业公司（包括蔬菜农场和养殖肉类公司）倒闭的情况，询问永续发展与环境部长：

(a) 新加坡食品局在向这些农场和公司发放补助金之前，如何对其进行尽职调查，包括财务可行性评估？

(b) 采取了哪些措施确保补助金得到有效使用？

(c) 鉴于事态发展，到2030年30%营养需求由本地生产的“30 by 30”目标是否仍然可以实现？

蔡庆威（盛港集选区议员）先生询问永续发展与环境部长：

(a) 政府是否仍致力于实现“30 by 30”目标，即到2030年，新加坡30%的营养需求由本地生产？

(b) 是否有计划进一步提高本地对本地生产食品的需求？是否有计划解决本地生产食品和进口食品之间的价格差异，以促进本地食品生产的市场可行性？

傅海燕（永续发展与环境部长）：此回复还将回答苏慧敏（马西岭-油池集选区议员）女士于 2024 年7月2日向国会提交的书面国会问题。[请参阅“‘30 年 30 年’目标的进展和拨款”，官方报告，2024 年 7 月 2 日，第 95 卷，第 137 期，书面回答问题部分。]

自成立以来，新加坡食品局（SFA）一直在加大力度发展本地的农业食品行业，同时努力实现进口来源多样化和库存。本地生产可以帮助缓冲供应中断的影响，并增加新加坡的粮食安全。我们将“30 by 30”设定为一个雄心勃勃的愿景，即到2030年建立在当地生产30%营养需求的能力和产能。

“30 by 30”愿景于2019年首次提出时，投资者对全球农业食品行业兴趣浓厚，利率环境较低，全球能源价格较低。此后，受COVID-19大流行、地缘政治紧张局势和通货膨胀等因素的影响，商业环境变得不那么有利。一些农场暂停了开发工作，以重新评估和调整其商业模式。全球农业科技公司也未能幸免于类似的不利因素。尽管如此，虽然有些农场倒闭，但同时我们也看到有新的企业进入农业食品行业。总体而言，自 2019 年以来，陆地农场和海上渔场的总数保持相对稳定，约为250家左右。

鉴于我们的农业食品行业尚处于起步阶段，环境充满挑战，新加坡食品局（SFA）为我们的农场提供了多方面的支持，包括：(a) 获取用于农业的土地和基础设施；(b) 提高能源效率和生产力；以及 (c) 增加对其农产品的需求。让我详细说明一下。

首先，我们通过定期推出陆地和海洋空间招标，为农业生产提供土地和基础设施。2022 年，我们还推出了将20年陆地和海域租约再延长10年的选择，以便农场在规划和寻找投资者时更有把握。

其次，我们加大了对农场能源效率和生产力转型的支持力度。国家食品安全局确保农业食品业转型基金（ACT）在满足农场的业务和增长需求方面继续发挥作用。2022年，农业食品业转型基金（ACT）得到加强，将共同出资额度提高至70%或最高600万新元，用于更广泛的食品种类，如果果蔬、蘑菇和虾，让更多农场从更高的共同出资额中受益。农业食品业转型基金（ACT）鼓励农场投资于生产性和资源节约型技术，这些技术有助于管理资源使用，从而降低运营成本。2023年，新加坡食品局（SFA）在 农业食品业转型基金（ACT）下推出了能源效率计划 (EEP)，共同资助能源效率审计以及采用节能设备和技术，帮助农场更好地管理电力成本。截至 2024 年 4 月 30 日，新加坡食品局（SFA）已发放 2,570 万新元，用于支持农业食品业转型基金（ACT）基金下的 68 个项目。

为确保资金得到有效利用，补助金的分配必须考虑农场的财务报表、参与农业的主要人员、相关记录、项目提案的优点和合理性、预计成本以及结果是否支持新加坡的粮食安全。新加坡食品局（SFA）要求资金接受者在生产产出、能源和人力节省等方面达到关键绩效指标 (KPI)。农场还必须提交半年进度报告，以记录项目进展情况。资金以报销和分期付款的方式发放，确保在实现项目里程碑后再发放额外资金。

第三，我们还在努力增加对本地农产品的需求。食品的价格反映了多种因素。除了生产成本外，较高的价格也可能反映出较好的质量和价值，例如新鲜度或无农药，这些都是消费者可能愿意支付的增值属性。

新加坡食品局（SFA）通过新加坡鲜农总会（SAFEF）为该行业提供支持，该机构牵头成立了一个行业级的供需聚合机构，与农民、贸易商和食品加工公司合作，以更好地匹配供需。通过新加坡鲜农总会（SAFEF）及其合作伙伴的努力，当地种植的蔬菜和养殖的鱼类现已在 Fairprice 超市以新洲非鱼（The Straits Fish）和“新加坡农夫市集”（SG Farmers’Market）品牌进行为期六个月的试行销售。我很高兴听到消费者对这些产品的反应是积极的。

消费者可以选购贴有红色 “新加坡新鲜农产品”（SG Fresh Produce）标识的本地农产品，或到在“从农场到餐桌”（Farm to Table）认可计划下的餐饮企业就餐，该计划认可菜单上以本地农产品为特色的餐饮企业，从而为确保我国的粮食韧性做出贡献。通过共同努力，我们可以继续保障新加坡的粮食安全。

“30 by 30”愿景一直是我们的愿望，旨在将我们的努力凝聚在加强新加坡粮食安全的重要任务。我们已经在一些领域取得了一些成果。例如，我们本地的鸡蛋产量占本地消费量的比例从2019年的26%增长到现在的30%以上。本地豆芽产量也占到本地消费量的50%以上。我们还看到，新老农场都在利用技术和创新来扩大生产规模，并采用高效可行的模式。一些农场已将业务扩展到更高生产价值的产品，以更好地满足消费者不断变化的需求。新加坡食品局（SFA）将继续扶持更多此类农场，帮助它们逐步扩大规模。

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in light of recent closures of high-tech farming companies, including vegetable farms and cultured meat companies (a) how does the Singapore Food Agency conduct due diligence, including financial viability assessments, on companies before awarding grants to such farms and companies; (b) what measures are in place to ensure that grant funds are used effectively; and (c) whether the "30 by 30" goal of achieving 30% local food production by 2030 is still achievable in light of the developments.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Government remains committed to the “30 by 30” goal that aims to produce 30% of Singapore’s nutritional needs by 2030 locally; and (b) whether there are plans to (i) further boost local demand for locally produced food and (ii) address the price differential between locally produced food and imported food in order to promote the market viability of domestic food production.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: This response will also address the written Parliamentary Questions filed by Ms Hany Soh for Parliament Sitting on 2 July 2024. [Please refer to "Progress of '30 by 30' Goal and Grant Funding Disbursed", Official Report, 2 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions section.]

Since its formation, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has been stepping up efforts to grow our local agri-food sector, alongside our efforts in import source diversification and stockpiling. Local production can help to buffer any impact of supply disruptions and add to Singapore’s food security. We set “30 by 30’’ as an ambitious vision of building the capability and capacity to locally produce 30% of our nutritional needs by 2030.

When the “30 by 30” vision was first conceived in 2019, there was strong investor interest in the global agri-food sector, a low interest rate environment and lower global energy prices. Since then, the business climate has become less favourable due to factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions and inflation. Some farms have taken a pause in development works to re-evaluate and finetune their business models. Global agri-tech companies have also not been spared from similar headwinds. That said, while there have been farm closures, we are also seeing new players enter the agri-food sector. Overall, the total number of land- and sea-based farms has remained relatively stable at about 250 since 2019.

Given the nascency of our agri-food sector and the challenging environment, SFA has provided our farms with support in various areas, including (a) accessing land and infrastructure for farming, (b) improving energy efficiency and productivity, and (c) increasing demand offtake for their produce. Let me elaborate.

First, we are making land and infrastructure available for farming by regularly launching land and sea space tenders. In 2022, we also introduced the option for the typical 20-year land- and sea-space leases to be extended for a further 10 years to give more certainty to farms when planning and seeking investors. 

Second, we have increased support to farms for energy efficiency and productivity transformation. SFA ensures that the Agri-Food Cluster Transformation (ACT) Fund remains relevant in meeting farms’ business and growth needs. In 2022, the ACT Fund was enhanced to extend the higher co-funding quantum of 70%, or up to $6 million, to a wider range of food types, such as fruited vegetables, mushrooms and shrimps, allowing more farms to benefit from higher co-funding. The ACT Fund encourages farms to invest in productive and resource-efficient technologies that can help to manage resource use and, consequently, operating costs. In 2023, SFA introduced the Energy Efficiency Programme (EEP) under the ACT Fund to co-fund energy efficiency audits and the adoption of energy-efficient equipment and technologies to help farms better manage their electricity costs. As of 30 April 2024, SFA has awarded $25.7 million to support 68 projects under the ACT Fund. 

To ensure funds are used effectively, the grant is allocated only after considering the farms’ financial statements, key personnel involved in farming, relevant track record, the merits and reasonableness of the project proposal, projected costs and whether the outcome supports Singapore’s food security. SFA requires funding recipients to meet key performance indicators (KPIs) in areas, such as production output, energy and manpower savings. Farms are also required to submit half-yearly progress reports to document progress in the project. The funds are disbursed through reimbursement and in tranches, ensuring that project milestones are achieved before additional funds are released. 

Third, we are also working to increase demand for local produce. The price of food reflects a combination of factors. Aside from costs of production, higher prices may also reflect better quality and value, such as freshness or being pesticide-free, which are value-added attributes that consumers might be willing to pay for.

SFA is supporting the industry through the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation Limited (SAFEF), which has spearheaded the formation of an industry level supply and demand aggregator that partners farmers, traders and food processing companies to better match demand and supply. Through the efforts of SAFEF and its partners, locally grown vegetables and fish are now sold at Fairprice supermarkets under a six-month trial under the brand names “The Straits Fish” and “The SG Farmers’ Market”. I am heartened to hear that consumer response to the products has been positive.

Consumers can play a part in ensuring our national food resiliency by choosing to purchase local produce that are labelled with the red SG Fresh Produce logo, or dining at food businesses under the Farm-to-Table Recognition Programme which recognises food businesses that feature local produce on their menus. Together, we can continue to safeguard Singapore’s food security.

The “30 by 30” vision has always been an aspiration, which seeks to rally our efforts around the important task of enhancing Singapore’s food security. We have achieved some results in a few areas. For example, our local egg production now contributes more than 30% of local consumption from 26% in 2019. Local beansprout production has also come in at more than 50% of consumption. We have also seen both new and existing farms harnessing technology and innovation to scale up production and operate productive, viable models. Some have expanded their operations to higher-value products that better cater to consumers’ evolving demands. SFA will continue to anchor more of such farms and help them scale up over time.