The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department will continue collecting samples from local chicken farms for tests, and issue test certificates and poultry transportation authorisations during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market will remain open to facilitate trader transactions.

The department today reminded the trade to implement biosecurity measures to control the risk of avian influenza.

The department is monitoring for leftover chickens in the wholesale market, and has stepped up biosecurity and disinfection measures.

It also reminded local chicken farmers and wholesalers to adjust their supply in accordance with market demand to avoid overstocking.

So far this month there have been on average 22,000 live chickens available at markets daily. The number of leftover chickens in the wholesale market is about 3,400 daily.

As at today, there were about 213,000 live chickens of appropriate age in local farms available for sale. Coupled with imported live chickens, it is estimated the supply of live chickens around the Lunar New Year will remain generally stable and can meet public needs.