‘Like McDonald’s with no burgers’: Singapore faces chicken shortage as Malaysia bans export

Move to ease inflation threatens city-state's de-facto national dish of poached chicken and rice

Supplies of Singapore's beloved de-facto national dish, chicken and rice, are under threat after neighbouring Malaysia banned exports of the meat in an attempt to ease domestic price increases.

The Malaysian prime minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, announced last week that the country would block exports of 3.6 million chickens a month from 1 June to stabilise supply at home. The ban is expected to lead to price increases and shortages in Singapore, which relies upon Malaysia for a third of its poultry imports.