Shenzhen plans to have central poultry abattoirs - CHINA - The Shenzhen government in Guangzhou province in China is considering setting up central slaughterhouses for live poultry to prevent bird flu.

Local poultry dealers and residents have voiced their displeasure after an order banned the slaughter of live poultry in early March. They said the order had inconvenienced their businesses and lives, as many people preferred buying fresh poultry instead of processed meat.

Under the draft plan, centralised slaughterhouses will be built near the four wholesale poultry markets before banning the slaughter of poultry in other wet markets.

There were also calls to emulate provincial capital Guangzhou, which set up three distinct areas for the slaughter and sale of live poultry. The first area is for poultry sales, the second for slaughtering, and the third for the sale of freshly slaughtered poultry.

All birds in Shenzhen were vaccinated against the bird flu in October last year. A second round of vaccinations then took place for some of the birds brought in from other places after the Spring Festival. The city has 30 poultry farms supplying frozen chickens to Hong Kong. It recently resumed supplies to Hong Kong after a brief suspension following a man's death in Guangzhou from bird flu.

Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, have both floated plans for a centralised abattoir this year due to bird flu concerns.

Source: eFeedLink - 30th March 2006