Hong Kong poultry sellers call for financial help to fight bird flu threat

For precautionary measures to work, most wet markets need ventilation upgrades, which would drive up costs

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Poultry sellers say measures to isolate consumers from live stock in markets can be improved. Photo: David Wong

Published: 11:26am, 5 Apr 2017Updated: 9:14pm, 5 Apr 2017

Hong Kong poultry sellers have called for financial support from the government to introduce better facilities to separate consumers and live chickens in wet markets amid the threat of bird flu.

This came as the government launched a two-month public consultation on the future of the city’s live poultry trade on Monday, after a consultant study it commissioned concluded that live chicken sales should continue and a central slaughterhouse was unviable.

But more stringent avian flu precautionary measures were suggested in the study, such as introducing physical barriers in poultry stalls to separate consumers from the live birds.

Speaking on a radio programme Wednesday, Ma Ping-lung, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Poultry Dealers and Workers Association, said the government could consider offering interest-free loans to vendors to complete the facilities upgrade.

“The ventilation system has to [support good air circulation]. Air conditioners will also have to be installed in the entire wet market, and this will need consent from all vendors to see if the cost can be spread,” Ma, who runs a chicken stall in Ngau Chi Wan, said.

“It would be difficult for some vendors to cover the cost.”