December 9, 2008

Hong Kong will double its live chicken imports from China to 14,000 per day to meet surging demand during the festive period, according to the Food & Health Bureau.

Hong Kong will implement the policy for two periods spanning over seven days – from December 11-13, and from December 17-20.

The live chickens will be available at retail markets from December 12-14 and from December 18-21.

The number of imported live chickens will be scaled back to the daily import limit of 7,000 on December 21.

The bureau's decision came after considering the market situation after the end of the buyout scheme for the live poultry trade, assessing public demand for live chickens before winter solstice, and balancing the risk of bird flu.