Singapore farms fight for lease extensions amid land repurposing plans

Three farms in Singapore's Lim Chu Kang area are urgently appealing for lease extensions, with their tenures set to expire in less than a year. Bollywood Farms, Gan Aquarium, and Gallop Kranji Farm Resort face the prospect of closure as the government plans land-use changes in the southern part of Lim Chu Kang for defense purposes.

Mani Shanker, founder of Gallop Kranji Farm Resort, expressed the farms' plea for at least a three-year extension. "What we're merely asking is… from the time our lease finishes to the time of the cut-off point that they have to hand over the land, I think this space is something that they should look at allowing us to continue," he stated, emphasizing the importance of this period for their businesses.

“

I know the authorities have given enough time, we understand all that. But what we're merely asking is … from the time our lease finishes to the time of the cut-off point that they have to hand over the land, I think this space is something that they should look at allowing us to continue.

While the government announced that the northern part of Lim Chu Kang will be reallocated for future agricultural developments, the immediate concern for these three farms is their impending displacement. Bollywood Farms and Gan Aquarium's leases expire in December 2026, and Gallop Kranji Farm Resort's in March 2027. This contrasts with Seng Choon egg farm and Malaysian Feedmills Farms, also affected, which have leases extending to 2036 and 2037 respectively.

Authorities maintain that affected farms were informed early, with the three farms in question being notified since 2020 about the non-renewal of their leases. However, farm owners question the urgency of their departure, particularly when other farms in the vicinity are permitted to operate for another decade. Ivy Singh-Lim of Bollywood Farms is specifically appealing for a three-year extension, highlighting her home on the farm, which has been adapted for her wheelchair-bound husband. The farm has already received two short-term extensions since its original 20-year lease expired in 2021.

“

You look at this house, he can