Poultry slaughter to be prohibited

TAIWAN - The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will move to prohibit the slaughter of poultry at traditional domestic markets, starting December 1, as part of the government efforts to forestall avian flu.

The Commerce Department under the MOEA and the Market Administration Office under the Department of Economic Development of the Taipei City Government yesterday launched a publicity drive for the new move at the Shihtong Market in Shilin District, Taipei.

Duh Tyzz-jiun, director general of the MOEA's Commerce Department said that the excrement, plumage and wastes generated at traditional domestic markets as a result of feeding, selling and slaughtering live poultry are usually an avian flu transmission channel, in addition to generating a bad smell at the markets.

Accordingly, Duh said that starting Dec. 1, all poultry can only be killed at slaughter houses, before they are delivered to traditional domestic markets for retail sales, so as to prevent live poultry infected with bird flu from flowing into traditional retail markets.

Source: The China Post

5 June 2006