Thesis survey exporting Dutch greenhouse vegetables to Singapore

[AHuyen]

Hi!

As part of the research for my graduation assignment at the Economic University of Applied Sciences, HRO, I am interested in the export opportunities of Dutch greenhouse vegetables, such as zucchini (courgette), tomato, eggplant, chili peppers and capsicum (paprika) to Singapore. In order to investigate this, it is important to have an insight into the buying motives of greenhouse vegetables from Singaporeans and expats that live in Singapore, what are the consumers willing to pay for and how much do they consume greenhouse vegetables?

Can you help me out by filling in this survey? I need at least 250 responses. Your survey responses will be strictly confidential and data from this research will be reported only in the aggregate. Completion of this survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes. Thank you very much for helping me out, your time and support.

The link to the survey is: http://goo.gl/forms/vWDuanzfFs

An

[x9200]

If you are really interested in the responses from Singaporeans you should not post this request on this board - probably 95% of all the users are non-Singaporeans, also by the cultural aspects.

[AHuyen]

If you are really interested in the responses from Singaporeans you should not post this request on this board - probably 95% of all the users are non-Singaporeans, also by the cultural aspects.

Thank you for your feedback! But for this survey I do not only want to know it from Singaporeans but in from inhabitants in Singapore (Singaporeans, expats etc.) in general. I just have adapted it in the description!

An

[kaseyma]

If you are really interested in the responses from Singaporeans you should not post this request on this board - probably 95% of all the users are non-Singaporeans, also by the cultural aspects.

It is unlikely that local Singaporeans would want to pay extra for vegetables to be imported from Europe.

[nakatago]

Malaysia would have cheaper vegetables, and the right kind too for the food that the local populace likes.

[Strong Eagle]

Malaysia is the number one exporter of vegetables into Singapore. Almost 60 percent of Singapore bananas come from the Philippines, a major supplier of all kinds of fruit. China is a major supplier. Australia also supplies vegetables but costs more and hence, less market penetration.

[ecureilx]

Malaysia is the number one exporter of vegetables into Singapore. Almost 60 percent of Singapore bananas come from the Philippines, a major supplier of all kinds of fruit. China is a major supplier. Australia also supplies vegetables but costs more and hence, less market penetration.

In fact there is a lot of Indian stuff being flown in ... on top of what you mentioned.

It's a tight market but never say never ....

[sundaymorningstaple]

But that's because Indians refuse to eat anything except Indian foods. Most everybody else likes to experiment and has a much wider latitude for different food choices. (it's probably why they cannot assimilate too easily and always form communities/enclaves of their own as well). I can't see importing fresh foodstuffs from Europe though? Processed foods, yes, but fresh vegetables? Are any other vegetables imported from Europe? Cold Storage or Jason's? I cannot think of anything from the Western European continent currently.

[JR8]

Are any other vegetables imported from Europe? Cold Storage or Jason's? I cannot think of anything from the Western European continent currently.

A few, but you can imagine how expensive they are. So for say our Christmas meal I've bought parnsips and Brussel's sprouts ... ouch/$. Sprouts are veeery traditional, and roast parnsips are also trad and a thing of glory IIRC I bought them in Jasons.

I've also bought artichokes (the flower heads, not the underground potato-like tubers) which likely came from Holland. I've had wonderful asparagus in SG (from NTUC!) and it was *cheap and great quality*, that was Malaysian. I've seen white asparagus too (seasonal, and veeeeery big in Germany), but that's pretty niche as ie. I don't think I've ever seen white asparagus in the UK. That again was perhaps at Jasons, and that might have been from Holland.

So a theme seems to be importing from Europe more niche-market products, where there will be strong seasonal demand that will bear large added profit margin. Also generally the imports seem to be products that will withstand the long journey.

Anything 'mass market' that can get grown closer to SG, say Malaysia, will be. So that would suggest bell peppers, 'ang-mo' field mushrooms etc.

[martincymru]

There are high altitude places, with low labour costs, within a 2 hour plane ride of Sg.

Also,

Unless there is something unique about the fruit/vegetable then growing, picking, transporting mainstream products into Sg from Europe is not profitable.

Better to devote your thesis to identify what is expensive in Sg.
Then publish here your summary business plan outlining the assertion that you can supply to the market cheaper said product.

[AHuyen]

If you are really interested in the responses from Singaporeans you should not post this request on this board - probably 95% of all the users are non-Singaporeans, also by the cultural aspects.

It is unlikely that local Singaporeans would want to pay extra for vegetables to be imported from Europe.

I read in a report of Euromonitor that Singaporeans are more conscious about their eating habit and health. So they are willing to pay more for products that are better for their health. Are expats and Singaporeans, who have a middle to higher income, willing to pay more for vegetables with for example less use of pesticide and with a stricter food safety policy?

[AHuyen]

Malaysia is the number one exporter of vegetables into Singapore. Almost 60 percent of Singapore bananas come from the Philippines, a major supplier of all kinds of fruit. China is a major supplier. Australia also supplies vegetables but costs more and hence, less market penetration.

Yes, but I read that the use of pesticides in Asian countries are a lot higher than in Europe. And because of the many food scandals that has happened in Asia the last couple of years, the trust has been decreased and consumers are demanding more products from Western countries such as Australia, the United States and Europe. So I think there is a market for Dutch vegetables in Singapore. What do you think?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I think it's a pipe dream. Locals are not going to pay the hyper-inflated prices as long as there is NTUC & Sheng Siong here. The expat population, while large isn't enough to carry the costs except on the very seasonal items. one of the few 'western' countries where we get foreign vegetable matter is Australia because it's only 4.5 hours away. But you still pay a premium for that, albeit not as bad as it would be coming from Europe.

[AHuyen]

Are any other vegetables imported from Europe? Cold Storage or Jason's? I cannot think of anything from the Western European continent currently.

On Redmart they also offer a lot of organic vegetables from Australia and the Netherlands. The prices are a lot higher though. https://redmart.com/product/airflown-ch ... cked-24900.

Also a couple weeks ago I also saw some tomatoes from the Netherlands on the online store of Cold Storage but I can not find them anymore.

[x9200]

I don't know if this is an universal perception but for me, Dutch agricultural products have always been of a category of looking very good but not necessary of any other outstanding value. I think it started long time ago with the strawberries that simply didn't taste like strawberries.