Yili Farm

This article is about the Singaporean company, Yili Farm. For the Chinese dairy products producer, see Yili Group.
Yili Vegetation and Trading Pte Ltd
Company typePrivate
IndustryAgriculture
FoundedAugust 22, 1996 (1996-08-22), Lim Chu Kang, Singapore[1]
FounderAlan Toh
Headquarters1 Neo Tiew Lane 2, Lim Chu Kang, Singapore
Area served
Singapore
ProductsAgricultural crops
Production output
680 tonnes annually[2]
Websitewww.yilifarm.com.sg

Yili Farm (founded as Yili Vegetation and Trading Pte Ltd) is a Singaporean agricultural company that specialises in cultivating vegetables and mushrooms located in Lim Chu Kang, in the north region of Singapore. Founded in 1996, produce cultivated by the company is distributed locally in Singapore through supermarket chains, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra and Sheng Siong.

The farm employs traditional agricultural methods and is part of Singapore's domestic food production sector. Yili Farm is certified two-star by the Singapore Food Agency, under the Good Agricultural Practice certification, which was launched in 2021.[3][2]

History

Yili Vegetation and Trading Pte Ltd was founded in 1996 by Alan Toh on a 4 hectares (40,000 m2) plot of land in Lim Chu Kang, an area historically associated with agricultural activity in Singapore.[4] From its establishment, Yili Farm adopted traditional agricultural methods in the cultivation of its produce.[5] Such methods are typically characterised by soil-based farming practices rather than high-technology or vertical farming approaches, which became more prevalent in Singapore in later years.[6]

Operations

Yili Farm specialises in vegetable farming and operates within Singapore's limited agricultural land area.[7] As a land-scarce country that relies heavily on food imports, Singapore has identified local vegetable farms as part of its broader strategy to enhance food resilience and supply diversification.[8]

In 2023, the company relocated operations to a 6 hectares (60,000 m2) plot of land within Lim Chu Kang.[7] The move followed the acquisition of its previous farmland to support the expansion of Tengah Air Base.[9] According to company and media reports, the relocation enabled Yili Farm to increase production capacity and introduce greater levels of automation and climate monitoring systems within its greenhouse facilities.[4][10]

The new site incorporates hydroponic farming systems alongside conventional soil-based cultivation methods. Hydroponic techniques are commonly adopted by urban and peri-urban farms in Singapore to improve land-use efficiency and crop yields within spatial constraints. These systems allow crops to be grown in a controlled environment with reduced reliance on soil.[11] This has allowed the farm to have a production output of 680 tonnes of produce annually.[2]

Within this context, Yili Farm has been identified as one of the local farming businesses contributing to Singapore's domestic food production and food security efforts. The farm operates alongside other Lim Chu Kang–based agricultural enterprises that collectively form a key component of Singapore's remaining rural farming sector.[12] Produce from the farm is distributed primarily through local supermarket chains, including FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, and Sheng Siong, as well as through direct online sales via the company's website.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "YILI VEGETATION & TRADING PTE LTD". Singapore Business. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Yili Farm". Singapore Food Agency. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  3. ^ "Launch of Certification of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and Clean & Green Urban Farms". November 21, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "Yili Farm is a vegetable farm run by Gen Z siblings". Eatbook. June 30, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  5. ^ "How Farmer Alan Toh of Yili Farm is Contributing to Singapore's Food Security". Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation Limited. April 13, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  6. ^ "Amid high-tech push, longtime Lim Chu Kang farmers keep faith with tradition". Channel News Asia. May 20, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  7. ^ a b "The Big Read: Singapore has been buttressing its food security for decades. Now, people realise why". Today. March 21, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  8. ^ "Farmers' market at Jem this weekend to promote local produce, support Singapore farms". The Straits Times. August 1, 2025. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  9. ^ "Tengah Air Base to be expanded; more than 80,000 graves exhumed, 4 farms to be acquired". The Straits Times. July 18, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  10. ^ "S'porean siblings plan on becoming farmers & taking over family business after graduation". Mothership SG. May 9, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  11. ^ Singapore Food Agency Annual Report 2024-2025 (PDF) (Report). p. 20. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  12. ^ "Kenny Eng Encourages The Consumption Of Local Produce". a+ Singapore. August 13, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  13. ^ "Where to buy? - Yili Farm". Yili Farm. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
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