An extensive consultation on the sale of live poultry will be conducted before the Government makes any decision on the future of the practice.

Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong told legislators today that as the four proposals suggested by Team Clean will have a different degree of impact on the trade, the Government must be careful in taking the issue forward.

He said officials will meet with the trade and listen to their views in the next few months. They will then conduct a public consultation with an aim to make a final decision next year.

The four broad options include:

* a complete ban on the retailing and rearing of live poultry;

* a ban on the retailing of live poultry, but the sale of chilled or frozen poultry;

* a ban on the retailing of live poultry, but the sale of 'warm' slaughtered poultry; and,

* the segregation of poultry from customers at the retail level.

Meanwhile, Director of Food & Environmental Hygiene Gregory Leung said the department will carry out improvement works in some old markets.

As a temporary measure, the department will not issue new licences for selling live poultry in the markets.

Responding to the criticism from some legislators that the $1,500 fine for litterbugs is too harsh, Acting Team Clean Head Cheuk Wing-hing said the move has public support. It will also act as a deterrent.

As at August 5, a total of 3,010 fixed penalty notices had been issued. Seven of them were repeated offenders.