Peasant businesses can get lost. Golf courses for elites remain.
Even though a few sites are going to be open up at unaffected areas for the affected farmers, there simply isn't enough for the 62 farms. Rent for the smaller plots of land will definitely shoot up.
Among the farms, Qian Hu Fish Farm can be considered among the most well-known since it is listed on the local stock exchange. The company is located at the Sungei Tengah area & its lease like the rest of the farms are expiring within 3 years. If it wants to remain at its land upon expiry of lease, it would have to bid for the new rental price.
Qian Hu has revamped their website a few months ago & takes pride in playing a lead role in breeding & selling ornamental fishes to the rest of the world thus making this tiny island the ornamental fish capital. There are 2-3 other ornamental fish farms in the Sungei Tengah vicinity where Qian Hu is located when i cycled there.
I was astounded by its claim of 'S'pore: Ornamental fish capital'. Is it true? Come to think of it perhaps it may be. I used to have ornamental fishes as pets when young. It is the easiest way to have pets for peasants staying in pigeon holes. Right here in Clementi, ground floor of block 328 is better known as ornamental fish shops.
In other countries with big open spaces, dogs & cats are common pets for the peasants since there's space to roam around. Hence it does makes sense that ornamental fishes & industry sprout up as a niche as a result of space-constraint S'pore.
However the ornamental fish capital status is under severe threat with the hybrid regime's latest plans to eradicate the farms. Look at the net profit of Qian Hu extracted from its website:
Q1 2012 net profit: $523,000
Q2 2012 net profit: $532,000
Q3 2012 net profit: -$10,100,000
Q4 2012 net profit: -$49,000
Qian Hu had a bountiful 1st half in 2012 before taking a massive hit by disposal of a Malaysian subsidiary. Thereafter oversupply in the industry led to little profits. The company is barely surviving from 2013 till now.
Q1 2013 net profit: $62,000
Q2 2013 net profit: $83,000
Q3 2013 net profit: $88,000
Q4 2013 net profit: $69,000
Q1 2014 net profit: $115,000
Q2 2014 net profit: $22,000
Q3 2014 net profit: $79,000
With such thin profits over a 3 month period, how can the business afford the higher rent of the land? The boss is already having sleepless nights since 2013. With the hybrid regime's grab of farmland, his situation is made even worse.
And those articles that are pinned up on the notice boards for visitors to see at his farm, some of those news articles feature PAP faces. He'll be taking a different view of those faces......
He'll be taking a different view of those faces......
ReplyDeletefrugalintrovert
Hahahahaha. Perhaps lah. But does it matter to PAP? Will the Qian Hu boss Kenny join the Sinkie opposition?
Qian Hu, just like the many daft Sinkie PMETs turned taxi drivers and security guards, can close shop for all PAP care.