Press Releases

More chickens from Mainland to meet Tuen Ng demand

The ceiling on the daily imports of live chicken from the Mainland will be lifted for three days (June 8 to 10) prior to the Tuen Ng Festival to meet the surge in public demand during the festive period.


A spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (June 6) the decision was made after assessing the arrangements and experience during the Lunar New Year period this year and the market situation. The bureau had secured the cooperation of the trade and consensus had also been reached with the relevant Mainland authorities.


"The capacity of the retail outlets for live chickens had been notably reduced since then. But in view of a quicker turnover in live chicken sales around the festival, the Government therefore allows chicken imports to increase temporarily," the spokesman said.


The spokesman pointed out that the present arrangement was made only after securing the commitment by the trade that public health conditions would be strictly observed and that there would be no overstocking of live chickens in the retail outlets during the three-day period. The Government would closely monitor the situation.


"If the trade violates or fails to observe the aforementioned conditions, we would not consider relaxing the import quantity of live chickens in future traditional festivities," the spokesman stressed.


The special arrangement will end on June 11. Thereafter, import quantity will revert to the current level of 30,000 live chickens per day.


Furthermore, the spokesman said the Government might cancel the temporary lifting of the ceiling if the threat of avian influenza became imminent.


"In order to minimise the risk of a possible outbreak of avian influenza at both wholesale and retail outlets, the rest days following the festive period will be strictly observed," the spokesman said.









Ends/Monday, June 6, 2005

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