The 16,000 daily import ceiling for Mainland live chickens will not be raised before the Mid-Autumn Festival because of the bird flu threat, and the recent daily leftover of live chickens in the wholesale market.

The Food & Health Bureau today said the present level of live chicken imports is adequate to meet demand during the festival.

So far in August there has been on average 28,000 live chickens available at markets daily. The number of leftover chickens in the wholesale market is about 4,000 daily.