The daily quota of Mainland live chicken imports will be raised in the seven days before the Winter Solstice on December 22 to meet the surge in public demand, the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau says.

The cap will go up to 30,000, from the current level of 20,000, on December 15 and 16. From December 17 to 21, the limit will be raised to 50,000. The quota of chickens to be imported on December 22 will return to the daily limit of 20,000.

Since the economy and consumer sentiment remain buoyant this year, some people may move up their Winter Solstice celebration in view of the long Christmas holidays. The bureau came to the arrangement after discussions with representatives from the live poultry trade on the expected demand.

The trade has assured the bureau that it will strictly observe public health conditions and there will be no overstocking of live chickens in the retail outlets during the seven-day period.

The Government will closely monitor the situation and will suspend the arrangment if there is any overstocking in the wholesale and retail markets, or a bird flu outbreak on the Mainland or in Hong Kong.