July 10, 2007

Hong Kong mulls whether to allow more Mainland pork suppliers

The quality of its fresh pork may be compromised if Hong Kong expands the number of its Mainland suppliers, lawmakers and pig farmers warned at a City Forum.

Instead, the SAR government was urged to extend more support and set up a long term strategy for the territory's agriculture sector.

Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, who chairs the Legislative Council's food safety and environmental hygiene panel, said it is time to introduce more mainland fresh pork suppliers, noting that Hong Kong's chief executive Donald Tsang has asked mainland authorities to allow more mainland distributors to export to Hong Kong in the face of the current pork shortage.

Mainland exporters wishing to export to Hong Kong currently need approval from Beijing.

At present only one company, Ng Fung Hong - owned by mainland-backed China Resources (Holdings) holds the monopoly on live pig imports into the territory.

Lawmaker Wong Yung- Kan representing the agriculture and fisheries sector, said he was concerned about the quality of imported pork if the market is opened up further.