March 16, 2006

Hong Kong to limit live chicken imports to 20,000 a day

Hong Kong will set a daily quota of 20,000 imported live chickens when the current ban is lifted, Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr York Chow said, adding the quota will be further reviewed in mid-April.

Most of Hong Kong's import of live chickens come from Guangdong province in China, where a man died from bird flu recently. The Chinese government has halted exports of live poultry to Hong Kong. Imports are likely to be resumed on Mar 27 if there is no other human infection case and no avian influenza outbreak in Guangdong, Dr Chow said.

The government is setting a limit of two million birds for the entire territory. Since this will likely have a great impact on the poultry industry, the government has set aside financial compensation to help those affected to switch to other businesses. This would not only affect farmers but also wholesalers, retailers and transporters, Dr Chow added.

Hong Kong is building an industrial slaughtering plant in the New Territories to be completed in 3 years. The site is away from residential areas but close to poultry farms.