The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has suspended the import of fresh quail eggs from a farm in Malaysia that contributes about 20 per cent of Singapore's supply.

The suspension of the imports from Telic Farm took effect last month, the SFA said last Saturday in response to queries.

This came after it detected traces of a drug called nicarbazin - which stops female birds from producing eggs or causes them to lay eggs that do not hatch - in the farm's quail eggs.

"The suspension will be in place until the SFA has verified that the farm has measures in place to ensure that its eggs do not contain drug residues and are safe for human consumption," said the agency.

17m Number of fresh quail eggs imported from the farm last year.

Last year, Singapore imported some 17 million fresh quail eggs from Telic Farm, said the SFA.

Singapore's quail egg supply comes from local farms and imports from Malaysia, China, Taiwan and Vietnam, it said.