The first japonica rice product from Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone (SSJFZ) will enter into Singapore market at the end of 2015.

For the pilot launch, 60 tons of rice will be available at all NTUC Fairprice Xtra hypermarkets and Fairprice Finest supermarkets in 2.5 kg and 5 kg packages, according to Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone Development and Management Co., Ltd. (JVMC), a joint venture between Singbridge and Jilin City in northeast China.

The news was announced at the Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone Seminar jointly hosted by Singbridge and Jilin city government on Thursday.

The SSJFZ-branded japonica rice is named after the 43rd parallel north latitude on which Jilin City locates. The high-yielding, high-quality rice crop is mainly cultivated from the fertile soils in temperate climate zones and caters to the increasing demand of such rice in Singapore.

Yeo Chun Cheng, Executive Vice President of Singbridge Group and CEO of JVMC, said that the launch of japonica rice is a testament of the steady development and continued progress of Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone.

"Leveraging Jilin's natural resources and environment, we are committed to establishing international standards for food production. We believe that with the combined expertise rendered by our Singapore partners, we are well-equipped to position Jilin Food Zone as the choice destination for food producers." Zhang Huanqiu, mayor of China's Jilin city, said at the seminar.

Lee Boon Yang, Chairman of Jilin Food Zone Pte Ltd., also expressed the willingness to further progress in the Zone. "As the latest Singbridge project in China, Jilin Food Zone is another example of the cooperative relations that China and Singapore share as both countries commemorate 25 years of diplomatic relations." said Lee.

SSJFZ is a unique platform which integrates multiple Singapore elements with local application across its entire "farm to table" process. Singapore partners play an integral role in the development of SSJFZ, from alignment of food safety procedures, to the provision of logistics, product distribution and targeting of consumers.