Consumption of frozen fish has doubled in Singapore in the last eight years, increasing from 17,150 tonnes in 2002 to 34,297 tonnes in 2010.
Demand for chilled fish dropped in the same period.
Advances in freezing technology are fuelling the trend according to Singapore industry experts who say the freshness and quality of frozen fish is now similar to that of fresh and chilled seafood.
Ziena Jalil, NZTE’s Trade Commissioner in Singapore, says changes in Singaporean lifestyles are also a factor.
“The shift towards living in nuclear families with both couples working means Singaporeans have less time for shopping and cooking. Frozen fish is a convenient option.”
Frozen product is also up to 30 per cent cheaper than fresh catch.
The shift away from chilled and live product is reflected in statistics from Singapore’s Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) showing a steady fall in the amount of fish handed at the country’s two fishery ports.
Supermarket sales also confirm the trend with NTUC FairPrice expecting to increase frozen fish supplies by around 15 per cent this year. Another chain, Sheng Siong, reports a 50 per cent increase in daily sales of frozen fish over the past four years.
Ms Jalil says there is clearly a strong opportunity for frozen fish exporters to increase their market share in Singapore, leveraging New Zealand’s outstanding reputation for providing safe, healthy food products.
Singapore has one of the highest rates of fish consumption per capita in Asia, second only to Japan, with fish and meat accounting for around 40 per cent of a typical Singaporean food bill.
The two products make up 14.6 percent of New Zealand’s overall exports to Singapore.
To find out more about selling food and beverage products in Singapore, contact Ziena.jalil@nzte.govt.nz
