Supply of fresh Hong Kong beef and lamb sold out and become scarce as well as pork since Tuesday.
Reported by RTHK, the shortage is due to the fact that both of their stocks were sold out and also related to the closure of slaughterhouses due to swine flu infection in Africa in a pig imported from China.
The discovery of a highly contagious virus last Friday led to the destruction of around 6,000 pigs and the suspension of imports of live pigs for a while. Initially a viral infection was detected in pigs in Sheung Shui abattoirs, which are now closed for quarantine.
This means that local cattle, sheep and pigs cannot be slaughtered atthis place at this time. Dozens of beef stalls across Hong Kong reportthat they no longer have fresh meat to sell to their customers.
Trade representatives say it is too early to say how much loss the butchers have to bear in Hong Kong. Government officials say the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse is likely to reopen next Monday. after a thorough cleaning afterthe slaughter of thousands of pigs with electric shock and plastic wrapping before being taken to landfills.
“This is really in the public interest so we must close the slaughterhouse therefore l hope everyone will be patient for the next few days” Hong Kong’s Food and Health Service Secretary Sophia Chan was quoted as saying by RTHK.
Chan said officials were trying to find out why a private slaughterhouse in Tsuen Wan had also been closed following the swine flu discovery. Chan hopes that the slaughterhouse at Tsuen Wan can resume operations soon, to minimize the impact on the scarcity of local meat supplies.
