Supplies of imported milk powder are running short in parts of Hong Kong as mainlanders flock in to stock up. In Sheung Shui, the town nearest to the border, shoppers were seen carrying dozens of cans of powder. Retailers said there had been no panic buying yet, but stocks were running short because deliveries of overseas milk powder brands had been limited since the mainland contamination crisis began. Two dispensary owners said they would restrict sales to a maximum of two to four cans to people whose accents showed them to be mainlanders, to ensure supplies for local customers. One said he had only 100 cans of imported milk powder left, little more than three days' supply. 'The distributors of imported milk powder claimed that there were supply shortages,' he said. 'I don't know when they will get back to normal.' The other, a Mrs Chong who runs a shop in Choi Yuen Estate, said sales of imported milk powder had increased by a third this week, with many buyers from the mainland. A Mr Chan, who works for Wiu Chun Dispensary in San Fung Avenue, claimed many mainland customers were buying the milk powder to resell at markets in Shenzhen. A Shenzhen retailer, giving his name only as Mr Sun, said he was stocking up on milk powder in Hong Kong to resell it. But he said many Hong Kong retailers were restricting sales to a maximum of two cans per customer, especially mainlanders. 'It is now very difficult to buy milk powder in a large quantity,' he said. He said the price of a 900-gram can of imported milk powder used to cost HK$130, but was now being sold for 15 per cent more. He said he would sell cans of milk for 160 yuan (HK$180) over the border.