Live poultry imports from Guangdong are set to resume March 26, Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Carrie Yau says. If the proposal goes ahead, the importation of 20,000 live Mainland chickens per day will be allowed, and the measure will be reviewed mid-April.

Mrs Yau met with officials from the Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection & Quarantine Bureau today.

"We have evaluated the current public health situation, including [the fact] that no new human case and no outbreak of avian influenza have been found on Guangdong's farms," Mrs Yau said. "So the two sides agreed to set March 26 as our target date for the resumption of live poultry exports from Guangdong to Hong Kong and on March 27 to resume the sale of live poultry imports in our markets."

Regarding the arrangement for live chicken imports during festive periods, she said the Government will handle it with flexibility. It will reduce the total chicken population in local farms to two million in phases and the supply of day-old chicks from Guangdong will have to be adjusted as well.

Upon the resumption of imports, the supply of day-old chicks to Hong Kong can also be resumed in principle. But the timing of the supply of chicks is still awaiting evaluation, depending on production capacity and inspection and quarantine arrangements.