Taiwan is to prohibit the slaughter of poultry at traditional domestic markets as of 1st December as part of their battle to prevent bird flu.
The Commerce Department under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and the Market Administration Office under the Department of Economic Development of the Taipei City Government recently launched a publicity drive for the new move at the Shihtong Market in Shilin District, Taipei.
Duh Tyzz-jiun, director general of the MOEA’s Commerce Department said that the excrement, plumage and wastes generated at traditional domestic markets as a result of feeding, selling and slaughtering live poultry are usually an avian flu transmission channel, in addition to generating a bad smell at the markets.
As of the 1st December slaughter of all poultry will be restricted to slaughter houses, before being delivered to traditional domestic markets for retail sales, to prevent live poultry infected with bird flu from flowing into traditional retail markets.