Live Mainland chicken imports will be maintained at 7,000 a day in the run-up to the Lunar New Year, the Food & Health Bureau announced today.

It said it understands live poultry traders' request for a higher number of birds, adding the decision to maintain the import level was made after taking into consideration the threat of avian flu to Hong Kong, the overall supply of imported and local live chickens, as well as the overstocking of chickens overnight at Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market.

There are 268,000 live chickens of 65 to 95 days old in local farms available. It is estimated the supply of live chickens around the Lunar New Year will remain generally stable and can meet demand.