Prices have risen - thanks to the curtailed supply from the mainland because of the H5N1 outbreak among ducks in Guangzhou's Panyu district.

Only about 30,000 live chickens were available in the wholesale market yesterday morning, 8,000 to 10,000 less than usual.

The SAR government scrapped an earlier decision to allow 70,000 chickens daily to meet next week's demand.

Hong Kong Live Poultry Wholesalers' Association chairman Tsui Ming-tuen said local farms would be able to augment the supply.

The wholesale price surged from HK$17- HK$18 to at least HK$22 per catty.

Tsui warned the wholesale price may rise to more than HK$25 a catty.

Since there were only 20 affected farms in the mainland, he said if the government eased the quota of live chickens from other Guangdong regions, the supply would be sufficient to meet the demand next week.

Wu Kin-chun, owner of Shun Hop Poultry in Shau Kei Wan, said he lost half of his business because of the price rise.

Source: The Standard