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HK to resume chilled, frozen poultry import from mainland
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-03-11 11:05
A Hong Kong government official said Wednesday the government would start to
accept applications for the importation of chilled and frozen poultry meat from
the mainland from Thursday.
Carrie Yau, permanent secretary for health, welfare and food said at a
Legislative Council panel meeting that as time is required to prepare for the
resumption of importation of poultry meat, it is expected that the first
consignment of mainland poultry meat will arrive in Hong Kong in the week
starting March 22.
The government has been monitoring the bird flu outbreak situation in the
mainland very closely before it decided to resume the imports, she said.
She noted meanwhile that the government's first priority was to protect
public health and ensure the safety of food consumed by the public.
"When we consider whether the restrictions on the importation of poultry meat
should be lifted, we have to assess the risk posed by poultry meat against these
objectives," she said.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has implemented a program to
control the importation of chilled or frozen poultry meat from the mainland
after the outbreak of the bird flu in some mainland areas. It covers farms,
slaughtering plants, the slaughtering procedures, transportation and health
certification.
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