Fresh Pork Supply Stabilises As Abattoir Reopens

Supply of fresh pork will hopefully stablise soon as the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse reopens.

The abattoir had been closed since February 26, after many workers came down with Covid-19.

Operation resumed on Monday and the slaughtering of live pigs resumed on Tuesday at midnight.

Although supplies of chilled and frozen pork from the mainland had increased in recent days, butchers at the Kowloon City Market told RTHK that they'd had calls from customers anxious to get their hands on fresh meat.

Shoppers are pleased that they can finally buy fresh pork.

“I came early because I was scared that the pork will be sold out. The prices are similar to before. I’ve wait a long time for this. We eat pork quite often, and for the past few days, my family had to eat other things, like fish and canned food,” said a woman surnamed Ng.

Another woman said she also hadn’t eaten pork for several days because she doesn’t like chilled pork, and she is thrilled that she finally has fresh pork to make soup.

Speaking to RTHK, Hui Wai-kin from the Pork Traders General Association said meat from around 3,000 pigs will be made available on Tuesday, and prices will be kept at normal levels.

Thirty-eight butchers from the mainland have also started helping out at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse, he said.

The government said live pig supply in Hong Kong is expected to return to a normal level on Tuesday.

The supply of chilled pork from the mainland on Monday was also 1.2 times the normal amount, officials said.

As for vegetables, authorities said about 2,000 tonnes arrived from the mainland on Monday, which is around 85 percent of the normal amount.