TEMASEK TIADA TELUR ITIK

WHY DUCKS EGGS ARE NOT SOLD IN SINGAPORE

Duck eggs were once used to cook familiar local favourites such as char kuay teow, carrot cake and oyster omelette. Owner of Hill Street char kuay teow, Mr Ng Chang Siang who had previously used duck eggs in his recipe says his customers prefer it as it has a richer taste and gives it a more ‘nian’ (sticky) texture.

But as prices of duck eggs became more expensive and supply turned scarce, he like many of his peers, resorted to cheaper chicken eggs over the years.

The reason for this price difference, says Mr Ong Siew Pang, former Chairman of the Kheng Keow Coffee Merchants Restaurant & Bar-Owners Association, dates back to the eggs’ origin around the 60s. Mr Ong explains that in the past, most fresh duck eggs were imported from Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, there was a shortage of duck eggs which then led to a price hike. As a result, many hawkers that were originally using fresh duck eggs in their recipe substituted them with chicken eggs.

Another reason for its unavailability here is because no approval has been granted to any supplier for the import and sale of fresh duck eggs in Singapore, according to egg supplier Mr Tan Kian Soon of Go Market. Mr Tan says the sale of fresh duck eggs in Singapore had already ceased way before he entered the business around 13 years ago.

When asked why, the Àgri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) replied that they “have not received any applications to export fresh duck eggs to Singapore”. AVA is the government body that regulates the import of food and has strict criteria for hygiene, and safety. All meat, meat products, eggs and egg products to be imported into Singapore have to come from sources approved by them.

Mr William Ho, owner of the Farmart Centre thinks that the reason why fresh duck eggs cannot be found in Singapore might be due to avian flu. He elaborates that duck farming requires both wet and dry lands for breeding. He thinks that this makes them more susceptible to water and air borne diseases and as well as avian flu. This makes it an uphill task for duck egg farms to get accredited.

“In open-duck farming, wild birds that may carry avian flu virus can come into contact with the farmed ducks. When this happens, the farm ducks will also contract the virus,” says Associate Professor Vincent Chow from the Department of Microbiology, National University of Singapore. There are two different kinds of duck farming: open duck farming (not enclosed) and closed system duck farming with proper biosecurity (enclosed, without contact with outside birds).

Prof Vincent adds that in general, ducks reared via the open-duck farming system are more susceptible to avian flu as compared to their close-farmed duck counterparts. Chicken egg farm is an example of closed system farming. However, he also says that once the ducks are infected with the influenza virus, they will fall very sick easily and eventually die. Hence, the chances of them producing the eventual diseased eggs are very low.

Yet there are no suppliers applying to be accredited with AVA as duck egg suppliers.

 Joanna Yeo & Sheere Ng

The Real Singapore

Maseh ada 90 minit lagi. Apa peranan kita sebagai penyokong?

Dengan kedudukan selisih satu negara yg aku pun tak perasan negara mana, Malaysia #144 dan Singapura #142 mengikut ranking FIFA terkini. Pusingan pertama dah habis 5 jam yang lalu. Semua dah tahu 5-3 final standing. Yap! Singapura menang tapi maseh ada 90 minit di Bukit Jalil.

Better stop dreaming untok mudah melangkah ke pusingan seterusnya wahai Temasik. Better stop mesyuarat makan sireh kepada MacaN Malaya di tengah padang. Most of the fans yang aku perasan banyak komen pasai turf dan gagalnya midfield control tengah. Aku pun tak reti sangat. Namun, aku sangat setuju bahawa bola laju dari biasa bila main padang tak ori ni. One of my friend berpendapat, Shafiq mungkin telajak masa tackling hingga megundang early bath. Pengadil pula sunggoh trigger happy dengan kadnya. Apabila Ismail Yunos pun kena early bath, Safee agak bebas bergerak dan berhasil menambah koleksi gol beliau.

Pada detik itu, momentum dah berubah, apabila tekanan tiba tiba 360 kepada tim tuan rumah. Sayangnya, hero tua yaitu Encik Duric berjaya membuat turning sekaligus mengencing kali ke 6 kiper Macan.

Dengan selisih dua gol. Banyak kerja kita kena buat. Biarkan tim dengan coach. Kita sebagai penyokong kena perang saraf tahap dewa Zeus mahupun perang Valhalla Odin dan kawan kawan. Aku ada satu cadangan. Harap sesiapa yang baca blog ini boleh proceed atau berpandangan yang sama supaya majukan kepada FAM, Ultras atau SSFC atau mana mana trup Macan supporters supaya :

Bina satu banner panjang 50m X 30m dengan tulisan :

MAS 3 SING 0.

Gantung cantik cantik setentang dengan laluan keluar pemain. Biar kita membantu mental Macan dan mengoyak mental Singo. Turunkan ngam ngam masa kedua dua tim melangkah masok ke padang.

It did happen to Barcelona. Tp supporters mereka guna kad kad. Well organised kad. Kalau dapat buat camtu lagi best. Pada masa yang sama banner kecik kecik kena up juga angka 4-0 atau 3-0 di seluruh stadium. Biar Macan tahu bahawa game still on dgn full support dari ultras dan penyokong keseluruhan. At least semangat akan naik lagi.

Media pon jangan kondem lebeh. Semua channel media di sini kena mainkan sentimen 3-0 sebagai penentu keputusan pada 28 Julai ini. Biar mind set ini kekal. Let the player do their job, mereka memang nak menang dan boleh memang. Apa yang nak dikesahkan. This is do or die mission. Sekali sahaja peluang untuk melangkah ke 3rd round. We almost koyak mental mereka sepenuhnya sekiranya dapat 4-4 tadi. Cuma sekarang kena kerja lebih. Sebagai penyokong, mari bulatkan usaha tanam semangat untuk 5 hari ni sahaja. 3-0 3-0 3-0.

Boleh? Tak de pilihan.