This is a full version of NEA’s reply issued to the media agency; published in Lianhe Zaobao, 28 Jan 2025.
We refer to the letter by刘木添, 《小贩饮食的危机与转机》, that was published on 21 Jan.
Our hawker policies are focused on the following fundamental objectives:
- To provide Singaporeans with affordable food options
- To ensure hawker have a decent livelihood and attract the younger generation to join the trade, thereby ensuring the long-term sustainability of the hawker trade
- To preserve the unique local hawker culture
There is a public perception among some that hawker stall rentals account for a large part of hawkers’ operating costs. However, this is not the case as the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) survey has found that stall rentals form less than 10%, while raw materials account for more than half of hawkers’ operating costs.
Although stall rental is not a main cost driver, we have been adjusting hawker policies to ease stall rentals and provide hawkers with a conducive operating environment. For instance, NEA has removed reserve rent with effect from March 2012. With no minimum bid price for stalls, bidders can secure stalls at lower-than-market rentals for the first tenancy term. Additionally, subletting of stalls, which may drive up rentals, has also been disallowed.
Today, median rental is around $1,250 per month for most cooked food stalls. This is significantly lower than that at foodcourts or coffeeshops, and has remained relatively stable.
On manpower, we have been paying close attention to enhancing hawkers’ productivity and improving hawkers’ access to manpower.
Currently, NEA subsidises up to 70% of the cost of adopting centralised dishwashing service under the Productive Hawker Centres Programme. NEA also encourages hawkers to use kitchen automation equipment and digital solutions through the Hawkers’ Productivity Grant.
From 1 January 2025, hawkers are allowed to hire from a larger pool of Long-Term Visit Pass holders with Letters of Consent to mitigate rising manpower costs. This will provide our hawkers with more hiring options, while still largely preserving the makeup of our hawker culture.
Collectively, these measures contribute to meeting our objectives. The local community and private sector can also play a part by supporting hawker-related initiatives, and consumers can support hawkers by patronising their stalls and paying a fair price for their food.
国家环境局
小贩中心司司长
刘国辉