*************************************************
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 2) met representatives of the chilled poultry trade and explained to them the government's stance on the suspension of chilled poultry import from the Mainland.
During the meeting, trade representatives requested the Government to resume import of chilled poultry from the Mainland as soon as possible.
"The representatives were told that the temporary suspension on import of live birds and poultry meat was imposed as a precautionary measure to protect public health," said a department spokesman.
"The suspension of import of poultry meat, including chilled poultry was in accordance with the guidelines of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) on controlling the spread of avian influenza. Similar control measures have also been imposed on other places with outbreak of avian influenza.
"It does not mean that there is problem with the existing monitoring system for the import of chilled poultry from the approved process plants in the Mainland, which has all along been closely monitored by both the department and the Mainland authorities.
"The department will maintain close contact with the Mainland authorities on the latest outbreak situation of avian influenza in the Mainland.
"We will closely monitor the outbreak situation and will consider resuming the import of chilled poultry as appropriate," the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, February 2, 2004
NNNN
