Safe supply: Vice-Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng and Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow meet in Beijing to discuss the supply of Mainland live pigs and cattle to Hong Kong.

Applications for the third agent to import live pigs to Hong Kong will open September 1, Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow says. Interested parties can click here for details.

Dr Chow met with senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce and the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine in Beijing today to discuss issues of mutual concern, including Mainland live pig and live cattle supply to Hong Kong as well as the recent measures taken by the Central People's Government to enhance food safety.

Application details

The Ministry of Commerce has set out the requirements, conditions and application procedure in the selection of the third agent to import live pigs to Hong Kong. The successful applicant should be a well-established company based in Hong Kong with relevant sales experience and familiar with the live pig market in Hong Kong. The selected applicant should also have the ability to ensure a stable supply of live pigs.

Noting the application period will close on September 10, Dr Chow called on interested Hong Kong-funded companies to submit their applications as early as possible.

On local pig farmers planning to invest in the operation of pig farms on the Mainland, Dr Chow said the Mainland authorities have agreed to help farmers establish pig farms and supply live pigs to Hong Kong.

Aid for pig farmers

"With the support of State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine and the assistance of the Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection & Quarantine Bureau, Hong Kong farmers can attend a seminar held by the bureau on September 5 in Guangdong to learn more about the requirements of setting up farms supplying live pigs to Hong Kong, such as food safety, bio-security and environmental requirements," he said.

Local farmers can apply to the ministry to supply live pigs to Hong Kong after they have set up farms on the Mainland.

On the recent unstable supply of live cattle to Hong Kong, Dr Chow said the problem was mainly due to the price gap between Hong Kong and the Mainland in purchasing live cattle, which has made farmers unwilling to sell cattle to Hong Kong.

"After close liaison with the Ministry of Commerce and Ng Fung Hong, with traders' consent, the purchasing price has been raised. The agent is supplying more than 100 cattle daily, which is close to normal level," Dr Chow said.

Top priority

"Live cattle only play a share of 18% in the beef market in Hong Kong. Having considered these factors, there is no urgent need to add another agent. Our top priority is to deal with the issues regarding the opening up of live pig supply."

Regarding the impact of the Mainland's enhanced export measures on the supply of live seafood to Hong Kong, Dr Chow has reflected to State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine Minister Li Changjiang the concerns of Hong Kong traders about the measures.

Mr Li said the administration will immediately follow up the matter with authorities concerned to ensure the trade will be facilitated when implementing measures to boost the safety of live seafood.