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.