The strategy to lower human contact with live poultry will be finalised by the end of this year, and will be implemented in two or three years' time, Director of Food & Environmental Hygiene Gregory Leung says.

Speaking on radio talkshows today, Mr Leung said public views are being sought on two proposed options, namely the "cold-chain" and "freshly slaughtered chickens" approaches.

The Government will take into account the cost-effectiveness, risk of human infection, and transportation of live poultry when deciding the number of slaughterhouses for the latter approach.

Immediate measures required

Mr Leung said immediate and medium-term improvement measures are also necessary to reduce any potential health risk as the long-term strategy will take time to complete.

The calculation and amount of compensation for a proposed voluntary buy-out package is being discussed and carefully considered to ensure the proper use of taxpayers' money, he said. Some form of assistance, such as retraining, job-seeking and financial help, will also be offered to affected employees.

On a caller's suggestion to adopt the users-pay principle for the construction and operation of slaughterhouses, Mr Leung said the concept has been implemented in Singapore, and he will explore the idea with the trade.