Singapore is prepared for a shortfall of chicken rice, the country's de facto national dish, as a major supplier, Malaysia, has halted all chicken exports as of Wednesday.

As supplies of the staple food diminish from neighboring Malaysia, where production has been interrupted by a global feed scarcity, restaurants and street stalls in the city-state are considering raising prices or shutting down entirely.

Malaysia's export prohibition is the latest indicator of worsening global food shortages as countries struggle to shore up local supplies and control food inflation in the aftermath of the Ukraine war, extreme weather, and pandemic-related supply disruptions.

The consequences will be “catastrophic” for vendors such as Daniel Tam who owns a chain of seven stalls called OK Chicken Rice. The entire chain is founded on the de facto national dish which now has become obsolete with the absence of live chicken from the food market. Tam, who will be forced to switch to frozen chicken supply as opposed to living chicken stock from Malaysia will have to face the people as they notice and respond to the change in the quality of the food.

Singapore, although one of Asia's wealthiest countries, has a densely urbanized land area of only 730 square kilometers (280 square miles) and is significantly reliant on imported, food, energy, and other supplies. According to data from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), nearly all of its chicken is imported: 34% from Malaysia, 49% from Brazil, and 12% from the United States.

In response to the Malaysian ban and the hike in prices, the SFA suggested that the living chicken shortfall be offset by frozen ones as well as urged consumers that people should opt for other protein sources such as fish.