December 28, 2007

Guangdong devises electronic tags for pig exports to Hong Kong

China's Guangdong province improved the quality of information on the pigs it exports to Hong Kong through special electronic tags.

Li Qingxiang, Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Bureau deputy director, said the province started the pilot programme of attaching electronic tags to the ear of Hong Kong-bound pigs at a farm in Heyuan City earlier this year.

The electronic tags provide more accurate information about the pig's history including breeding sources, feed, vaccination and immunization, compared to traditional export tags, according to Li.

Additionally, the tags use radio frequency identification technology that enhances the efficiency of Chinese quarantine and inspection officers.

Since March, 640 pigs equipped with the tags have been exported to Hong Kong. All were in compliance with the Special Administrative Region (SAR) government's health requirement. 

Guangdong consumes about 60 million live pigs annually. It provides 2,030 pigs to Hong Kong and Macao each day, accounting for 40 percent of the their pork supply.