S'PORE ALLOCATES S$160 MLN TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY IN RETAIL, FOOD INDUSTRIES

SINGAPORE, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- The Singapore government has set aside more
than S$160 million over the next five years to drive productivity improvements
in the retail and food industries.

Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang said that like the rest of the
economy operating in a tight labour market, the retail and food services sectors
could not continue to rely on labour force growth to meet increasingly demanding
local customers, tourists and business visitors.

"With rising business costs, it is critical for retail and food service
companies to improve their efficiency and raise productivity," he said in a
speech at the Retail & Food Services Productivity Conference here today.

He said that given the importance of both sectors, the government had set
aside the allocation.

Broadly, he said, the productivity plans aimed to equip companies in the two
sectors with the capabilities, knowledge and tools in three areas -- process
improvement; manpower development and deployment; -- and building up a culture
of productivity and continuous improvement.

To date, Lim said, these plans had supported 80 productivity improvement
projects with a funding of $6.7 million.