SINGAPORE DEVELOPS COLD-CHAIN STANDARD

Logistics Insight Asia, 1/1/2008

Singapore has launched TR 24: 2007 Technical Reference on Cold Chain Management for Vegetables – the first such nationalstandard for the ASEAN region.

The new standard sets guidelines for temperature and humidity, for the storage and handling of the vegetables throughout the entire cold chain – from the transportation and distribution routes, right up to the retail outlets and ultimately, the consumers.

Singaporeans are a health-conscious group, consuming about 370,000 tons or US$307 million worth of vegetables a year. This works out to about 82 kilograms of greens per person annually. Of the 389,000 tons of vegetables imported and produced locally, 95 percent or $314 million worth of vegetables are imported, with the remaining five percent or $46 million worth of vegetables being produced locally. Hence, proper management will not only keep the vegetables fresh and safe but also extend their shelf-life and reduce wastage.

Industry seems to be welcoming the directive. Tay Khiam Back, president of the Singapore Fruits and Vegetables Importers and Exporters of Association says the integration of cold-chain management of vegetables will upgrade the industry. “Since it is important for everyone to understand the benefits of this standard, the Singapore Fruits and Vegetables Importers and Exporters Association will encourage the industry to useand implement the standard.”

Supermarket NTUC Fairprice is among the first to adopt cold-chain management in its operations. Mr Tan Kian Chew, Group CEO, NTUC Fairprice Co-operative comments,"At FairPrice, fresh food such as fruitsand vegetables are handled througha stringent and well-executed coldchain management system. Thestrict guidelines that Fair Priceobserves on temperature controlguarantees that we bring the freshestfoods possible to our customers.This cold-chain managementstandard will further strengthenthe safe supply of vegetablesat our facilities."

This standard is also the third milestone in Singapore's efforts to develop cold-chain standards for the fast-moving consumer goods industry. The first cold-chain standard was for milk and dairy products, launched in 2002, and the second for chilled pork waslaunched in 2005.