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Singaporean supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice has begun selling a new range of leafy vegetables from the Medan area of Indonesia under its house brand, Pasar Indonesia.

According to Channel News Asia, the retailer has introduced five varieties of leafy vegetables so far, including kai lan and chye sim. And FairPrice plans to double the size of the programme in the next few years as part of its ongoing strategy to diversify its vegetable procurement.

The vegetables are grown in Brastagi in the Karo Highlands, some 70km from Medan, and the volcanic soils and cool climate in the area make for a sweeter, juicier product, according to the Indonesian supplier Horti Jaya.

“It’s a volcanic area; the soil is particularly fertile, and the climate is very conducive to production,” president and director of PT Horti Jaya Sunario Chan told Channel News Asia. “That explains why we have selected the place and the vegetables grow well. Vegetables grown in the highlands have this particular sweet taste and juiciness.'

Thailand and Malaysia are currently among the key origins of vegetables for FairPrice, but the retailer is keen to diversify its sourcing base to ensure consistency of supply. “When we are able to source vegetables from various sources…we’re able to stabilise the supply,” said NTUC FairPrice’s MD of group purchasing, merchandising and international trading Tng Ah Yiam. “When you have supply stability, you’ll have price stability so our role is to ensure prices are stable for consumers.”

Horti Jaya has reportedly proved its credentials as a dependable source of vegetables for FairPrice, which has been impressed with the company’s quality and safety standards and supply reliability over the past three years of working together.

FairPrice’s move to introduce its own brand of Indonesian vegetables follows on from the launch of its Pasar Organic range of organic produce in August 2008. FairPrice’s Pasar Organic range includes 40 types of vegetables, such as chye sim, kai lan and bok choy that are sourced under contract farms in Thailand under stringent organic certification standards.