In Hong Kong today, May 20, fresh pork began to go on sale in local markets again, which was facilitated by the fact that two large slaughterhouses completed disinfection and reopened on the weekend after the panic caused by swine flu.

On Sunday, May 19, at a media briefing, Deputy Minister of Food and Health Chui Taki announced that the cleaning and disinfection work at the Shong Shui slaughterhouse had been completed the day before and the facility was resuming work.

Meanwhile, disinfection work was also completed at the Tsuen Wang slaughterhouse and normal operation of the enterprise was resumed.

After disinfection and other hygiene-related activities, according to Chui, about 1,300 pigs from local pig farms were transported to the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse, and another 600 pigs were transferred to the Tsuen-Wan factory.

A senior official noted that all live pigs imported from the mainland through the Man Kam checkpoint will be quarantined, and those animals that do not have health certificates will not be sent to Hong Kong.

Data provided on the Hong Kong Department of Food Hygiene and Environment website showed that the average selling price of live pigs on the mainland was HK $ 2,653 per unit (50 kg), or two times higher than from 1 to May 10.

Hui Vaikin, president of the Hong Kong General Pig Breeders' Association, said that although about 2,600 live pigs are expected to be delivered on Monday May 20, this amount is 60 percent more under normal conditions.