Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ5: Sale of chilled meat

Following is a question by the Hon Wong Yung-kan and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (November 26):

Question:

Regarding chilled meat, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the total quantities of chilled meat (including poultry) imported into Hong Kong in the past three years, together with a breakdown by the type and source of meat;

(b) of the number of licensees of fresh provision shops (including market stalls) prosecuted for not storing chilled meat for sale in a chiller and the sentences imposed on those convicted in the past three years; and

(c) whether, apart from inspections of fresh meat shops, the relevant departments will take other measures to stop shop owners from misleading consumers into taking chilled meat for fresh meat by not storing the former in a chiller?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) From January 2000 to May 2003 (the latest available figure), 42,379 tonnes of chilled meat and 92,691 tonnes of chilled poultry were imported into Hong Kong. A breakdown of these figures by the type and the source of meat is provided in the Annex to this reply.

(b) It is a licensing and tenancy condition for fresh provision shop (FPS) operators and market stall lessees respectively to store chilled meat for sale in a chiller. In the past, FEHD had issued warnings to operators who breached the relevant licensing or tenancy conditions. Repeated breaches would lead to suspension or cancellation of licence or termination of market tenancy. During the period when the relevant conditions came into effect in September 2001 up to May 2003, FEHD issued a total of 37 warnings to FPS licensees and market tenants.

(c) To enhance deterrence against the sale or display for sale of chilled meat or poultry as fresh meat or poultry, a new enforcement measure was introduced in June 2003. Under the new measure, FEHD will cancel a licence or terminate a market tenancy upon detection of the breach on the first occasion. Since June 2003, one FPS licence has been cancelled as a result.

FEHD will continue to conduct regular and surprise checks of fresh provision shops and meat and poultry market stalls to ensure that the meat and poultry products for sale are kept and displayed under proper and hygienic conditions. It will also continue to monitor the situation to see if any further improvement measures should be made.

Ends/Wednesday, November 26, 2003
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