Live chicken imports from the Chinese mainland will be increased for a short period preceding the Chinese New Year, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said Monday.

The bureau made the decision after assessing the latest situation of avian influenza and balancing the festive demand for live chickens.

According to the bureau, the ceiling of the daily live chicken imports from the mainland will be increased from 20,000 to 60,000 from Feb. 10 to 13 and to 80,000 from Feb. 14 to 16. The ceiling for daily live chicken imports will return to 20,000 starting Feb.20.

"Our decision has taken into account a basket of factors, including a decrease in supply of local chickens, the risk of avian influenza in the region as well as the higher demand for live chickens during the Chinese New Year.

"We believe this could balance the actual demand for live chickens and the risk of avian influenza and at the same time maintain a stable price for live chickens, said the spokesman.

The government will pay extra attention to the hygiene of live poultry wholesale market and retail outlets and any overstocking of live poultry. Suitable adjustments will be made in accordance with the actual situation in the markets if necessary.

The spokesman stressed that if human or poultry avian influenza infection were found in Guangdong or Hong Kong prior to or during this period, the government would immediately suspend the above-mentioned live chicken import arrangement.

To reduce the risk of avian influenza, the Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Hong Kong Customs will vigorously crack down on smuggling of live birds during the Chinese New Year to prevent live birds from coming to Hong Kong through improper channels.