Press Releases
More Mainland chickens for Lunar New Year
Live chicken imports from the Mainland will be increased for the five days
preceding Lunar New Year Day to meet surging demand, a spokesman for the Health,
Welfare and Food Bureau said today (January 13).
The decision was reached after assessing the latest situation regarding avian
influenza outbreaks on the Mainland and the public demand for live chickens with
the approach of the Lunar New Year.
The spokesman said the bureau and the relevant Mainland authorities had agreed
to relax the ceiling on live chicken imports from the Mainland from January 24
to 28 to meet with the demand before Lunar New Year's Day.
The ceiling on live chicken imports from the Mainland would be relaxed from
30,000 chickens per day to 50,000 on January 24 and 25 and to 70,000 chickens on
January 26, 27 and 28.
The spokesman stressed that if human or poultry avian influenza infection was
found in Guangdong or Hong Kong prior to or during this period, the Government
would immediately suspend live chicken imports.
"At present, the capacity that retail outlets can handle each day is drastically
reduced," the spokesman said. "With the increase in demand for live chickens
prior to Lunar New Year, the turnover of chicken sales during the period is
expected to be much quicker. Having consulted members of the trade, who promise
not to overstock chickens during this period, we therefore temporarily allow an
increase in live chicken imports.
"The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will pay extra attention
to the hygiene of live poultry retail outlets as well as whether there is any
overstocking of live poultry. The administration will make suitable adjustments
in accordance with the actual situation in the market when necessary," the
spokesman added.
He reminded the trade and the public to continue strictly observing the
following measures to prevent avian influenza during the festive period:
Live poultry trade
* Do not overstock live poultry;
* Wear plastic gloves when handling poultry; and
* Thoroughly clean and disinfect the stalls after business every day.
Public
* Do not touch live poultry;
* Wash hands frequently;
* Thoroughly cook poultry and eggs before eating; and
* Do not bring any poultry or meat product into the territory unless it is
authorised or accompanied by a health certificate.
The FEHD will implement an additional rest day on January 31 for all live
poultry retail outlets to suspend business and carry out thorough cleaning and
disinfection.
Ends/Friday, January 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:03
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