The plan for a central slaughtering plant, to supply chilled chicken, has sparked a fierce outcry from the catering industry, which warned it would kill their trade in fresh chicken.

Following a study, the government is now proposing to cart out freshly slaughtered chicken stored at seven degrees Celsius or below, for consumption within 24 hours.

"We believe that allowing this option will help enhance the viability of the poultry slaughtering and processing plant, accommodate people's culinary preference and reduce the impact of central slaughtering to live poultry wholesalers and retailers," said a report by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.

The proposals will be thrashed out by the Legislative Council next Tuesday.

But catering sector and Liberal Party lawmaker Tommy Cheung Yu-yan said the plan could be "useless" as normal vans do not have facilities to transport chilled poultry.

The plan is also unlikely to dampen strong opposition to the building of a central plant, which is set for 2011.

"The markets do not want this at all. They will be deprived of fresh chickens now slaughtered in the market," Cheung said.

Source: TheStandard