Initiatives part of the Government's efforts to sustain the hawker trade and attract more new hawkers
By Lim Min Zhang, The Straits Times, 10 Oct 2017
Potatoes, cucumbers and carrots - none is a match for the $2,000 commercial-grade vegetable cutter from Spain, which can slice up to 300kg of vegetables in an hour.
From yesterday, eligible hawkers might pay only 20 per cent for such kitchen automation equipment, by tapping a government grant announced in March.
The Hawkers' Productivity Grant, administered by the National Environment Agency (NEA), allows stallholders to claim 80 per cent of the unit cost of equipment on a reimbursement basis, up to a total of $5,000 within three years.
As part of the Government's efforts to sustain the hawker trade and attract more new hawkers, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor launched the grant at the opening of a one-stop information and service centre for hawkers yesterday.
Located at the revamped Customer Service Centre at the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh, the centre provides information on the hawker trade for both aspiring and current hawkers, such as how to tender for a stall, where to take courses on food hygiene, and how to apply for the productivity grant.
Sharing sessions by veteran hawkers and courses related to the trade, such as on how to improve a stall's signboard and menu, are also in the works, said Dr Khor.
On some of the uses of the centre, Dr Khor said: "Apart from training, some hawkers are unaware of resources such as various types of equipment that can help in food preparation and suppliers' contacts for raw ingredients, which would be particularly helpful."
She added that the NEA will conduct briefings at hawker centres to help hawkers understand the types of equipment available to help them reduce their workload, especially for repetitive tasks such as chopping vegetables.
While some hawkers welcomed the move to make such equipment available at a lower cost, others think that being able to prepare food by hand is still an important skill.
Madam Muthuletchmi Veerapan, 55, who mashes potatoes by hand for her masala dosa dish, said she has to wake up at 3.30am six days a week to prepare food for her vegetarian food stall at Ghim Moh Food Centre.
"With this new equipment, I could save five to six hours every day, and no longer have to spend time cutting the ingredients the night before," she said.
Third-generation hawker Afiq Rezza, 27, was interested in some of the equipment, but said: "If you put in the effort with your hands, it is so much more sincere."
By Lim Min Zhang, The Straits Times, 10 Oct 2017
From yesterday, eligible hawkers might pay only 20 per cent for such kitchen automation equipment, by tapping a government grant announced in March.
The Hawkers' Productivity Grant, administered by the National Environment Agency (NEA), allows stallholders to claim 80 per cent of the unit cost of equipment on a reimbursement basis, up to a total of $5,000 within three years.
As part of the Government's efforts to sustain the hawker trade and attract more new hawkers, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor launched the grant at the opening of a one-stop information and service centre for hawkers yesterday.
Located at the revamped Customer Service Centre at the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh, the centre provides information on the hawker trade for both aspiring and current hawkers, such as how to tender for a stall, where to take courses on food hygiene, and how to apply for the productivity grant.
Sharing sessions by veteran hawkers and courses related to the trade, such as on how to improve a stall's signboard and menu, are also in the works, said Dr Khor.
On some of the uses of the centre, Dr Khor said: "Apart from training, some hawkers are unaware of resources such as various types of equipment that can help in food preparation and suppliers' contacts for raw ingredients, which would be particularly helpful."
She added that the NEA will conduct briefings at hawker centres to help hawkers understand the types of equipment available to help them reduce their workload, especially for repetitive tasks such as chopping vegetables.
While some hawkers welcomed the move to make such equipment available at a lower cost, others think that being able to prepare food by hand is still an important skill.
Madam Muthuletchmi Veerapan, 55, who mashes potatoes by hand for her masala dosa dish, said she has to wake up at 3.30am six days a week to prepare food for her vegetarian food stall at Ghim Moh Food Centre.
"With this new equipment, I could save five to six hours every day, and no longer have to spend time cutting the ingredients the night before," she said.
Third-generation hawker Afiq Rezza, 27, was interested in some of the equipment, but said: "If you put in the effort with your hands, it is so much more sincere."
Related
Opening Of The ‘One-Stop Information And Service Centre’ And Launch Of ‘Hawkers’ Productivity Grant’
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