Retailers can apply from tomorrow to permanently surrender permission to sell live poultry on their fresh provision shop licences or public market tenancies, and receive ex-gratia payments, the Food & Health Bureau says. Application deadline is July 24.

The Legislative Council Finance Committee today approved the bureau's $1.123 billion funding application to implement the live poultry trade buyout scheme. Under the scheme live poultry farmers, wholesalers, retailers, transporters and their workers can receive ex-gratia payments for leaving the trade.

The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department will write to retailers tomorrow to explain the arrangement and distribute application documents.

If as many as 85% of retailers opt to leave the trade by the deadline the Government will launch the ex-gratia payment scheme for farmers, wholesalers and transporters for application by September 24.