***************************************************
Chicken farmer representatives were this morning (March 22) briefed by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department officials on resumption of import of day-old chicks from the Mainland.
Department officials repeated that Hong Kong and Guangdong officials had announced after a meeting on March 20 that the Government would reduce the total chicken population in local farms to two million by phases and the supply of day-old chicks from Guangdong would also have to be adjusted. Upon the resumption of live poultry imports from Guangdong on March 26, the supply of day-old chicks to Hong Kong could also be resumed in principle. But the timing of the supply of day-old chicks was still awaiting evaluation, depending on the production capacity as well as inspection and quarantine arrangements.
Ends/Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:02
NNNN
