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The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department announced today (June 1) that applications were open for pig farmers to voluntarily surrender their Livestock Keeping Licences and to end their operations permanently.
A department spokesman said those eligible to apply under the voluntary surrender scheme included pig farmers, live pig transporters whose sole business is delivering live pigs from local farms to slaughterhouses, and affected local workers.
Successful applicants will have ex-gratia payment, loan or one-off grant as specified in the package approved by the Legislative Council Finance Committee on April 28 this year.
Under the approved package, an ex-gratia payment will be given to eligible pig farmers who voluntarily surrender their Livestock Keeping Licences and cease rearing pigs permanently.
In addition, there will be loans on an unsecured basis to eligible live pig transporters who voluntarily cease operation of delivery of live pig permanently and upgrade/convert their vehicles for other business operations, and a one-off grant to assist affected local pig farm workers and pig transport workers.
Applications for the scheme should reach the department within the next 12 months. For enquiries about ex-gratia payment to pig farmers and one-off grant to affected local farm workers, please call the department at 2462 7443. Enquiries about loans to live poultry transporters and one-off grant to affected local transport workers can be made at 2150 6703.
Ends/Thursday, June 1, 2006
Issued at HKT 11:26
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