Press Releases

Notification system activated to follow up potted plants incident

        A spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (January 25) that the Administration has immediately activated the notification system to follow up the problem as reflected by the trade that potted plants for supply to Hong Kong could not go through customs clearance.

 

        Upon receiving reports by the trade on January 17 that potted plants aimed for delivery to Hong Kong for the Lunar New Year were stranded in Guangdong, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) had immediately activated the notification system to enquire the situation with the relevant inspection and quarantine authorities in the Mainland, the spokesman said.

 

        The department learned that Mainland authorities had stepped up inspection and quarantine measures of potted plants and nursery stock for supply to Hong Kong, hence causing the delay in exporting these plants to Hong Kong.

 

        The spokesman added that AFCD had been following up the situation with the authorities but it was not until yesterday (January 24) that notification was received from the People's Government of Shenzhen Municipality that "red fire ants" (Solenopsis invicta Buren) were found in some parts of Guangdong. Therefore, the Shenzhen inspection and quarantine bureau had activated its emergency measures and acted in accordance with the law to quarantine the potted plants before they were allowed for export to Hong Kong.

 

        AFCD would continue to closely monitor the incident through the notification system. In addition, AFCD was conducting random inspection on potted plants at the boundary control point and double checking the stock at the farms. Until now, no "red fire ants" has been found in Hong Kong.

 

Ends/Tuesday, January 25, 2005

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