SINGAPORE - Singapore today rejected press reports in Malaysia that the city-state had placed a ban on Malaysian vegetable produce.

Reports of the alleged import ban in the Malaysian newspaper Berita Harian were untrue, the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said.

"In the last few days, there has been a spate of press reports in Malaysia that Singapore authorities prevented the entry of vegetable lorries from Malaysia into Singapore," the AVA said in a statement.

"AVA did not prevent the entry of any vegetable lorries from Malaysia in Singapore," it said.

The AVA also disputed the Malaysian newspaper's claims that it had tried to contact the Singapore authority.

"Our AVA website did not indicate any email from Berita Harian , Malaysia," the authority said.

Vegetable imports from Malaysia previously had pesticide residues above levels set by Singapore but this problem had since been resolved by both sides, the AVA said.

"Through this concerted and collaborative effort, significant improvements in Malaysian vegetables have been achieved," it said.

Safe vegetables

The volume of Malaysian vegetables destroyed for pesticide residue violations fell to 48 tonnes in 2000 from 92 tonnes the previous year, it said.

"We are satisfied that the majority of the Malaysian growers are capable of producing safe and wholesome vegetables for export to Singapore."

Land-scarce Singapore imports virtually all of its food needs and neigbouring Malaysia is a huge supplier of poultry and vegetables to the tiny island-republic.

The latest allegation of a ban on vegetables is among a number of issues to dog relations between the neighbours.

Ties between the two have been erratic since Singapore was ejected from the Malaysian federation to become an independent state in 1965.

Other issues that have strained ties include water supplies from Malaysia to resource-poor Singapore, a proposed bridge linking the countries and the use of Malaysian airspace by Singaporean aircraft.

Last month, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said sections of the Malaysian media of souring bilateral ties by publishing what he called unfounded articles.