Traders Pour Cold Water On Slaughterhouse Plan

Pork traders have rejected a suggestion by the government that a Sheung Shui slaughterhouse could be emptied of animals once a day for a thorough cleaning in a bid to prevent the spread of African swine fever.

Some 4,100 pigs were culled at the abattoir on Sunday after the virus was detected in a pig imported from the mainland. It is the second such case within a month and has forced the closure of the slaughterhouse for several days.

Health Secretary Sophia Chan said officials had discussed with traders the idea of shortening the amount of time pigs spend in the slaughterhouse and finding time each day when the facility can be cleaned while there are no animals inside.

But Kwan Kwok-wah, from the Fresh Meat Alliance, said a pork trader could have ordered as many as 30 pigs and has the freedom to decide when exactly they should be slaughtered. He noted that delivery times also vary from agent to agent.

Kwan said he would urge his colleagues to kill their pigs within 36 hours.

He also said that traders still haven't received the government compensation promised for the culling of 6,000 pigs at the slaughterhouse in May.

Kwan said he expects the payouts to be higher this time, because pigs are now more expensive than they were last month.