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The daily quantities of imported live chickens from the Mainland would remain at about 30 000 for the next two weeks, a spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (May 11).

The importation of Mainland live chickens was resumed on April 20 on a pilot basis.

The spokesman said: "We are satisfied with the testing results of the imported chickens during the pilot period.

"From a public health point of view, the overcrowded conditions of our retail markets would make it undesirable to accommodate large quantities of chickens on a daily basis.

"We must therefore act cautiously to ensure that public health is adequately protected, particularly having regard to recent press reports about another outbreak of avian influenza in Vietnam a few days ago.

"We will discuss further with the Mainland authorities to review and evaluate the new import control requirements and assess if adjustments are necessary.

"Meanwhile, it would be appropriate for the quantity of live chickens imports to be maintained at the present level of about 30 000 for the next two to three weeks," the spokesman said.

The Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Mr Eddy Chan, and Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Mr Gregory Leung, will meet with officials of the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine tomorrow (May 12) in Beijing to review and evaluate the new import control requirements on live chickens implemented during the pilot period.

Ends/Tuesday, May 11, 2004

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