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Following is a question by Dr Hon Helena Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today (June 1):
Question:
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau signed a co-operation agreement in Shenzhen on April 27 this year, under which frozen meat/poultry (collectively known as frozen meat) intended to be imported into Hong Kong from overseas would be allowed to be stored temporarily in Qianhaiwan Bonded Port Area (QBPA) of Shenzhen before its importation into Hong Kong in batches. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) why it allows frozen meat intended to be imported into Hong Kong from overseas to be stored temporarily in QBPA;
(2) whether the authorities have consulted the relevant sectors before signing the aforesaid agreement; if they have, of the views so obtained; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) according to the assessment of the authorities, whether the wholesale and retail prices of frozen meat in the local market will come down as a result of the implementation of the aforesaid arrangement; if the assessment outcome is in the affirmative, of the details;
(4) whether the authorities have projected, for the period between 2016 and 2018, the average daily quantity of frozen meat (in tonnes) to be imported into Hong Kong which has been temporary stored in QBPA, and the percentage of such quantity in the average total daily quantity of frozen meat to be imported into Hong Kong; and
(5) whether the authorities will deploy staff to regularly inspect the storage of frozen meat intended to be imported into Hong Kong in the cold stores located in QBPA, including the conduct of sampling tests to examine if the frozen meat meets the relevant hygiene standards as prescribed in Hong Kong legislation; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the various parts of the question is given below:
(1) and (2) Since 2012, some importers of frozen meat and cold store operators had been liaising with the Government about the inadequate availability of cold stores in Hong Kong to meet the demand of the trade. In view of the growth in frozen meat imports, there were suggestions that frozen meat destined for Hong Kong from overseas be allowed to store temporarily in the Qianhaiwan Bonded Port Area (QBPA) of Shenzhen for subsequent delivery to Hong Kong by batches. Following consultation with the trade and the relevant Mainland authorities, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, on the premises that food safety is upheld, entered into a co-operation agreement in April 2016. Under the agreement, frozen meat destined for Hong Kong from overseas may be stored temporarily in QBPA for subsequent delivery to Hong Kong by batches. This would enable the trade to leverage on the cold storage facilities available in Qianhai to cater for their business and development needs.
This arrangement is intended to provide the trade with an added option for storage of frozen meat. It helps to facilitate trade and intensify the co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong in inspection, quarantine and business development, without compromising any of the existing statutory requirements for or food safety standards on imported food. Same as the arrangement for frozen meat directly imported into Hong Kong, when the frozen meat that has been temporarily stored in Qianhai arrives in Hong Kong, the consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by an issuing entity from the place of origin recognised by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene. FEHD will brief the trade in late June 2016 before rolling out the new arrangement.
(3) and (4) The new arrangement is introduced in response to market demand and intended to provide the trade with an added option. The extent to which the trade would utilise the arrangement is a commercial decision of individual operators. The Government is not minded to intervene. Nor are we in a position to project the utilisation rate.
(5) According to the co-operation agreement, the Mainland authorities will be responsible for inspection and quarantine of frozen meat transhipped through Qianhai, including monitoring the facilities and temperatures of registered cold stores in which the frozen meat is kept, thereby ensuring hygiene and safety. Besides, in line with the requirements on transhipped meat/poultry as provided under the Imported Game, Meat, Poultry and Eggs Regulations (Cap 132AK), every consignment of frozen meat that had been stored in Qianhai, upon entry into Hong Kong, must be accompanied by the health certificate mentioned above and a transhipment certificate issued by the Qianhai authorities. The importer is also required to obtain an import licence from FEHD.
The staff of FEHD will regularly inspect the condition of the imported frozen meat that is kept in the cold stores within QBPA and bound for Hong Kong. In addition, lorries transporting the transhipped frozen meat cargoes from QBPA must enter Hong Kong via Man Kam To for inspection by FEHD staff at the Man Kam To Food Control Office. FEHD will take samples for testing on the risk-based principle. FEHD's routine food surveillance programme adopts a risk-based approach, under which food samples (including frozen meat) are taken at the import, wholesale and retail levels for testing to ensure that they are in compliance with Hong Kong's statutory requirements and fit for human consumption.
Ends/Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:13
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