Consensus reached: Minister Li Changjiang and Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong meet the press after the two sides agreed Hong Kong would resume live chicken imports from the Mainland.

Hong Kong will resume live chicken imports from the Mainland in limited quantities on a trial basis beginning next Tuesday.

The importation of day-old chicks from the Mainland may be resumed about the same time, depending on the demand and supply.

Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong met the media briefly to give them the news after a morning meeting between his bureau and the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine.

Dr Yeoh said that in the past few weeks, colleagues from both sides had met to discuss the requirements for import control. Officers from the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department and the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department had also done the necessary preparatory work - including paying visits to registered farms in the Mainland that supply live poultry to Hong Kong.

Mainland registered farms confirmed avian flu-free

"Our recent visits to Mainland registered farms indicate that the farms that are registered for importing chickens to Hong Kong have been free from Avian flu and they have adopted the necessary additional import measures to prevent the occurrence of Avian influenza and instituted new enhanced surveillance programs to detect the presence of this virus in the farms," he said.

"Given that the outbreak situation in the Mainland is now under control, we propose the private importation of live poultry in a small quantity on a trial basis."

The target date for normal resumption of live chicken imports is May 12.

For three days beginning on Tuesday, April 20, up to 6,000 live birds a day will be brought in from the registered farms. April 23 and 24 are rest days for the wholesale markets, followed by a rest day in the retail market on April 25, so imports will be suspended during those days.

New arrangements will be reviewed

After the three days of importation, officials will evaluate the new arrangements. If, after this first phase, everything goes well, the number of imported chickens will be increased gradually.

Dr Yeoh stressed that only imports from farms that were visited will be allowed.

Imported chickens will be tested more rigorously for traces of Avian flu. "They won't be released for sale until the tests come back clean," he said.

Additional measures to enhance food safety

During the initial stage of import resumption, additional measures will be taken to ensure that all imported live poultry are healthy and to enhance consumers' confidence.

Only the best of all existing Mainland registered farms will be allowed to first resume supplying live poultry to Hong Kong, and the quantity will be strictly controlled.

The Mainland has provided a list of the registered farms for the early resumption of importation. The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department must inspect these farms and be satisfied with their conditions before they may begin to export their birds.

All birds to be exported to Hong Kong must be segregated from other birds for five days before export. 

The consignments arriving in Hong Kong at the initial stage of the resumption of importation will be subject to the hold-and-test arrangement. They will only be released to the market if they are tested H5 avian influenza-free.

Measures will be implemented to keep people separated from live poultry at the retail level and additional rest days will be introduced in the markets.

Measures to be taken regarding food re-exports

At today's meeting, both sides also exchanged views on issues related to the re-export of meat, poultry and fruits via Hong Kong to the Mainland.

They agreed that measures will be adopted to ensure food safety and protect public health in the Mainland and Hong Kong.