Press Releases
PSHWF visits Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau
The Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Mrs Carrie Yau, today
(March 20) led a delegation to visit the Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and
Quarantine Bureau. Both sides discussed proposals to resume import of live
poultry and birds supply from the province.
Mrs Yau said: "We have evaluated the current public health situation, including
that no new human case and no outbreak of avian influenza have been found in
Guangdong's farms, so the two sides agreed to set March 26 as our target date
for the resumption of live poultry exports from Guangdong to Hong Kong and on
March 27 to resume the sale of live poultry imports in our markets.
"The quantity of live chicken imports from the Mainland to Hong Kong upon
resumption would be 20,000 per day. The two sides agree to review the
arrangement in mid-April."
Regarding the arrangement for live chicken imports during festive periods, the
Government would continue to handle it with flexibility, having regard to the
then public health situation.
Mrs Yau also said the Government would reduce the total chicken population in
local farms to 2 million by phases and the supply of day-old chicks from
Guangdong would have to be adjusted as well. Upon the resumption of live poultry
imports from Guangdong on March 26, the supply of day-old chicks to Hong Kong
could also be resumed in principle. But the timing of the supply of day-old
chicks was still awaiting evaluation, depending on the production capacity as
well as inspection and quarantine arrangements.
Mrs Yau expressed thanks to the Director of Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and
Quarantine Bureau, Mr Zhong Dechang. She said she understood the bureau had all
along been striving to safeguard the hygiene and safety of live food animals for
supply to Hong Kong, including fielding staff to inspect registered farms and
plants for supply to Hong Kong.
She hoped the two sides would continue the good cooperation to maintain the
confidence of Hong Kong people in consuming live chickens.
Other delegation members included the Director of Food and Environmental
Hygiene, Mr Gregory Leung; the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Conservation, Mrs Stella Hung; Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Mr
Eddy Chan; and Principal Assistant Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Mr
Wallace Lau.
Ends/Monday, March 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:23
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