Chicken farms face tougher licensing rules on hygiene
The Government unveiled plans to tighten the licensing system for chicken farms as Chief Secretary for Administration Anson Chan Fang On-sang prepared for her first post-handover trip to Beijing today.
Asked whether Mrs Chan would raise the issue of the killer bird flu virus while meeting mainland officials, her press secretary, Kitty Choi, said last night: 'Mrs Chan will give an update on the killer bird flu virus if she is asked about it.' Mrs Chan is to meet Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen, and Director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Liao Hui during her brief stay in the capital.
However, Ms Choi said details of Mrs Chan's itinerary and return date have yet to be finalised.
On the eve of her trip, a senior government official announced a plan to ensure that all local farms are virus-free after the recent mass slaughter of chickens.
Deputy Director of the Agriculture and Fisheries Department Yip Shui-ming told the City Forum the department was considering imposing more stringent conditions on the licensing system.
He said the Government would offer loans to farmers to install facilities to improve hygiene at chicken farms.
Under the plan, all local farms have to be thoroughly sterilised and only those which meet the new hygiene standards would be permitted to raise chickens again.
At present, farmers have to apply for licences if they raise more than 20 chickens.
Hong Kong Medical Association spokesman Dr Lo Wing-lok urged the Government to consider banning the sale of live chickens in the markets and building a central slaughterhouse to handle all chicken slaughtering.
Meanwhile, parents continue to take their children to the aviary in Hong Kong Park despite birds there being tested for the H5N1 bird flu virus.
Experts will know today whether any birds have contracted the virus.
Mother of two Josephine Lau, visiting the park with her children, said: 'I avoid eating chicken and I stay away from poultry stalls but I am not scared to come here.' The aviary, in the heart of Central, houses more than 600 birds.
