The first group of markets, including 200 retailers and two wholesale venues, reopened on Thursday (20 May), selling live chickens, pigeons and quails.

Previously, there were three wholesale markets and 461 retailers.

The new regulation on live poultry trading states that all markets must carry out regular examinations on sellers, equipment facilities, animal epidemic prevention, food safety and environmental protection.

Poultry may only be slaughtered in the selected markets.

Other live poultry such as ducks and geese remaines unavailable.

"We've spent more than two months checking things and decorating to get ready for the reopening," said Gu Yaofeng, director of the general affairs office of the Shanghai Agriculture Central Wholesale Market.

On Thursday, the market sold 1,500 chickens and 950 pigeons, a sharp decrease compared with a combined figure of 20,000 to 30,000 per day before the bird flu outbreak. But the market is likely to make a full recovery soon.