The Hong Kong government expects to resume poultry import from neighboring Guangdong Province next week after evaluating the development of avian influenza in the area, the health department said Monday.

Carrie Yau, permanent secretary for health, welfare and food, who visited Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau,said they decided to resume the import of live poultry supply from Guangdong since no outbreak of avian influenza and no new human case have been found in the province.

Hong Kong has stopped its live poultry import from Guangdong since a human case of bird flu was confirmed in the province in late February.

"We plan to set March 26 as our target date for the resumption of live poultry imports from Guangdong to Hong Kong and on March 27 to resume the sale of live poultry imports in our markets," said Carrie Yau after discussion with his Guangdong counterparts.

The quantity of live chicken imports from Guangdong would be 20,000 per day, one third less than before. The two sides agreed to review the arrangement in mid-April.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2006)