Live chickens back on sale in Hong Kong after bird flu cull
Shoppers willing to pay a little more as sale of fresh poultry resumes
Live chickens returned to the city's wet markets yesterday for the first time since a bird flu scare at the end of last month forced a mass cull - and prices rose only modestly despite a relatively small supply.
Some 3,200 birds were delivered to retailers by way of a new temporary inspection point in Ta Kwu Ling, set up after the December 31 closure of the wholesale market in Cheung Sha Wan. The cull and closure were forced by the discovery of the H7N9 bird flu virus in a sample of imported chicken from Guangdong.
The supply was well down on the 19,000 chickens sold usually, but prices were only up between 10 and 30 per cent, to HK$60 to HK$70 per catty (600 grams).
The government decided to route chickens via a checkpoint in the northern New Territories to avoid an outright 21-day ban on sales while the wholesale market is disinfected, as happened after a bird flu scare last year.
The decision proved controversial with both wholesalers and people living nearby, but consumers and vendors yesterday welcomed the swift return of fresh chicken.
Food and health minister Dr Ko Wing-man said supply would increase by about 800 today and may grow further depending on talks over noise, traffic and hygiene with Ta Kwu Ling residents.
