FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1987
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$8.5 MILLION TEMPORARY MARKET OPENS IN WESTERN
A NEW TEMPORARY MARKET IN THE WESTERN RECLAMATION FOR THE WHOLESALE OF LIVE POULTRY TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WAS OPENED BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN, TODAY (FRIDAY).
THE NEW MARKET, BUILT ON A 9,500 SQUARE-METRE SITE AT A COST OF $8.5 MILLION, REPLACES THE EXISTING 60-YEAR-OLD WHOLESALE MARKET IN KENNEDY TOWN.
MRS CHAN SAID, "THE WHOLESALE MARKET FACILITIES IN KENNEDY TOWN WERE PROVIDED BY THE TRADERS THEMSELVES. BECAUSE OF THE STEADY INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR LIVE POULTRY, THE BASIC FACILITIES AVAILABLE IN THAT MARKET BECAME TOTALLY INSUFFICIENT TO COPE WITH DEMAND.
"THE MARKET WAS GROSSLY OVERCROWDED, VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN PROPERLY AND CAUSED REAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.
**
SHE NOTED THAT IN HONG KONG, A HIGH PREMIUM WAS PLACED ON FRESH POULTRY BY THE CONSUMER. "NEARLY 65 PER CENT OF THE POULTRY MARKETED IS SOLD AS LIVE BIRDS. THIS DEMAND HAS CREATED A NEED FOR NEW AND IMPROVED MARKETS FOR THE WHOLESALING OF LIVE POULTRY, MRS CHAN SAID.
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"TO KEEP PACE WITH THE RAPID GROWTH OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN AND TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF A GROWING COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS UNDERTAKEN TO REMOVE AND REPROVIDE THE MARKET."
ALSO OFFICIATING AT TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONY WERE THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN DISTRICT BOARD, MR VINCENT
ко, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG AND KOWLOON POULTRY DEALERS GUILD, MR YEUNG KAI-SHING, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NEW TERRITORIES CHICKEN BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, MR CHAN KWOK-WAI.
IN HER ADDRESS, MRS CHAN NOTED THAT CONSTRUCTION HAD COMMENCED ON A $380 MILLION WHOLESALE MARKET COMPLEX ON THE WESTERN RECLAMATION.
"ON THE COMPLETION OF THE WESTERN WHOLESALE MARKET COMPLEX, CURRENTLY PLANNED FOR ABOUT 1992, IT CAN BE EXPECTED THAT THERE WILL BE FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN POULTRY MARKETING FACILITIES ON HONG KONG ISLAND AS WELL AS THOSE FOR FRESHWATER
VEGETABLES, FRUIT AND EGGS, SHE SAID.
"
FISH,
THE NEW TEMPORARY WHOLESALE POULTRY MARKET PROVIDES FOR 14 STALLS, HARBOUR FRONTAGE AND 34 LORRY PARKING SPACES. OTHER FACILITIES INCLUDE A MINI-BANK, THREE TRADE OFFICES AND GENERAL AMENITIES.
WITH BETTER AND IMPROVED FACILITIES, THE NEW MARKET HANDLE ABOUT 12 MILLION BIRDS A YEAR, REPRESENTING ABOUT 17 PER OF THE TOTAL CONSUMPTION OF THE TERRITORY,
WILL
CENT
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