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Patsy Moy

With tight restrictions on local and imported poultry supplies, prices in wet markets have soared by at least 30pc

Limited supplies of live birds forced eight out of 10 chicken stalls in Hong Kong to remain closed yesterday after Thursday's normal rest day.

The shortage was caused by a government decision to limit the supply of live chickens from local farms to 40,000  - one third of the normal figure. The same restriction will be applied today.

Prices rose by at least 30 per cent as a result of the shortage.

The problem is compounded by continuing bans on imports of poultry from the mainland, first  imposed one week ago.

Meanwhile, officers from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department yesterday collected 1,654 dead chickens from 103 Hong Kong farms.

The government is reducing the  quantity of live poultry at wet markets as a precautionary measure against bird flu.

Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene Gregory Leung Wing-lap warned yesterday that he did not think the government ban on chickens from the mainland could be lifted soon, considering the spread of bird flu in the region.

Both the industry and consumers complained that they were being deprived of choice and were having to pay more.

Chickens were selling for $30 a catty (670 grams) at retail level, about 30 per cent higher than normal. Prices for wholesalers had doubled, from between $8 and $10 a catty to $18.

At Tai Shing Street market in Wong Tai Sin, one of the major poultry retail markets, only one chicken stall was open yesterday.

Its owner, a Mr Law, said consumers were being deprived of the choice of smaller chickens because the birds had been overfed for at least a week due to restrictions on chicken movements.

Mr Law said most chickens weighed about four catties, which was double the size most families wanted.

Due to both the bigger size of the poultry and a higher price, each chicken sold for about $100.

Mr Law said he was able to secure 60 chickens yesterday - only a quarter of his normal supply. He sold about half of them within two hours  of opening his stall.

'It will be very difficult to do business if the supply of chickens cannot reach a normal level as soon as possible,' he said.

'We have both a very limited quantity and choice of chickens to sell and they are sold at such a high price that it will discourage consumers from eating poultry.'

There was a similar situation in Java Road market in North Point, where only one of five stalls was open.

The owner of Cheung Fat Poultry  said he had about 80 chickens to sell yesterday, with most going to restaurants.

He said he was unable to sell the remaining 20 per cent of his chickens because his customers complained that they were too expensive and too big.

Housewife Mrs Tsang complained that she was being deprived of her usual choice of chicken sizes.

'I don't mind paying more for fresh poultry. But I do not need a chicken weighing almost four catties. It is too big and difficult to cook,' she said.



Chicken shortage closes HK stalls