Press Releases
SHWF explains slaughtering plant proposal to live poultry trade
The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, today (April 12) met
representatives from the live poultry trade to explain the Government's proposal
to build a poultry slaughtering plant in Sheung Shui.
Dr Chow also briefed members of the LegCo Panel on Food Safety and Environmental
Hygiene at a panel meeting over the proposal.
Dr Chow said at the meeting with the poultry trade that there was a need for the
Government to set up a plant putting together poultry slaughtering activities as
soon as possible in a bid to achieve the policy objective of separating live
poultry from humans as a means to preventing human infection of avian influenza.
He pointed out that some recent studies had shown that chickens might have the
possibility of contracting H5N1 virus without developing any symptoms, adding
that such findings were different from the scientific grounds reached a few
years ago. This explained why the Government considered that poultry
slaughtering activities should no longer be scattered in the retail stalls in
the various districts in Hong Kong.
Dr Chow said the building of a poultry slaughtering plant could reduce the risk
of an avian influenza outbreak in Hong Kong and allow people to continue to
enjoy quality chicken meat.
"In the face of the global threat posed by avian influenza, the Government has
the responsibility to adopt proper preventive measures to protect public health.
"If we do not change the current mode of operation for live chicken sale to
allow the trade to have an opportunity to transform their business, the trade
will be more hard hit if an avian influenza outbreak occurs leading to a ban on
retail sale of live chickens in Hong Kong," he said.
Dr Chow understood that the Government's proposal might have certain impact on
the mode of operation of the trade and that traders might have to make some
adjustments or even changes. But this would also give rise to some new business
opportunities, e.g. live poultry wholesalers might switch to operate as buyers;
transporters might opt to change their business to transporting chilled and
frozen chickens; and retailers might switch to sell chilled or frozen poultry.
A voluntary licence surrender scheme was set up for those who opted to cease
operation permanently, including poultry farmers, wholesalers, retailers and
transporters.
Dr Chow hoped that the trade, Legislative Council, District Council would
understand that the development of a poultry slaughtering plant would be
beneficial to society as a whole. Local poultry farmers could make efforts to
build up Hong Kong brand name and sell their poultry to the slaughtering plant
for local supply. Then, Hong Kong would not solely depend on supply from other
places.
In addition, Dr Chow told the trade representatives that the Government had been
maintaining close liaison to strive for an early resumption of day-old chicks
supply to Hong Kong. The Administration had fielded staff to discuss with the
Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau early this week. Both
sides aimed for the resumption of day-old chicks supply to Hong Kong before the
end of April. The Guangdong side agreed to take concerted action in this regard.
The Government had stated clearly that 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 at any time, he added.
Legislators Mr Vincent Fang and Mr Wong Yung-kan also attended the meeting.
Trade representatives included the New Territories Chicken Breeders Association
Limited, Hong Kong Poultry Wholesalers Association, Kowloon Poultry Laan
Merchants Association, Cheung Sha Wan Poultry United Wholesalers Association
Limited, Fresh Poultry Wholesaler Association, Kowloon Poultry Transporter and
Poulterer Association, Hong Kong Poultry Wholesalers and Retailers Association,
and Hong Kong and Kowloon Poultry Dealers and Workers Association.
Ends/Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:25
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