As the only land gateway for the mainland's livestock to reach Hong Kong, this southern city plans to build a new quarantine warehouse to improve the quality of exported products.

Vice-Mayor Zhuo Qinrui said the local government has carried out feasibility research with the quarantine department, but no details are available at the moment.

"The new quarantine warehouse will meet the requirements of the city's urban planning and better satisfy the quarantine and hygiene requirements for exported livestock," he said.

Currently, all the more than 5,000 livestock from mainland cities receive quarantine in Qingshuihe, one of Shenzhen's six logistic parks north of the city's downtown area before entering the Hong Kong market.

The move is part of efforts by the country to improve the quality, safety and stable supply of mainland farm products to Hong Kong and Macao.

The Hong Kong and Macao markets together are the fifth largest import market of mainland farm products.

Currently, 80 percent of big-sized pigs, 50 percent of chickens and 100 percent of medium-sized pigs and cattle in Hong Kong are supplied by the mainland. In Macao, all livestock are supplied by the mainland.

The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine signed a memorandum on exported farm products to Hong Kong and Macao in Shenzhen late last week.

In the first act of cooperation on the issue, the two departments have agreed to enhance communication and collaboration in police co-ordination, information exchange, emergency affairs and industrial guidance.

The two sides also decided in the meeting to improve the production, processing and warehousing of the farm products that supply Hong Kong and Macao.

(China Daily September 18, 2006)