2004-02-23
In order to carry out the strategy of the Central Party Committee and the State Council to win the battle against Avian Influenza, the Ministry of Commerce recently issued a Notice calling for intensified efforts to execute the "Three Greens Project" to ward off Avian Influenza.
The Notice pointed out that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza did not only severely impede the development of the stock raising industry and even the economy as a whole, but also seriously endanger people's health and safety. All departments in charge of commercial affairs should have a strong sense of urgency and responsibility, clear understanding of the situation and consensus on the issue so as to ensure sufficient attention, measures, coordination and policy guarantee.
The Notice requires all local authorities in charge of commercial affairs to vigorously advocate ˇ°green consumptionˇ±, guiding consumers to strengthen the sense of self-protection and introduce a healthy life style and a correct concept of food safety. The authorities should also speed up their efforts to foster green markets and actively create healthy and safe environment for consumers. Related state criteria should be earnestly followed to keep all markets up to sanitation standard. More stringent supervision and regulation of livestock and poultry as well as their products should be carried out through having strict quality control over products entering the market, regulating the supplying channels, implementing a more stringent compulsory certificate-presentation system and establishing or improving purchase and sale records. Quicker steps should be taken to ensure the availability of special areas, counters and stores of safe livestock and poultry products and popularize new marketing styles. Processing plants should be urged to strictly control the quality of raw material purchased and carefully implement the inspection and quarantine procedures for finished products.
Furthermore, greater endeavors should be made to explore "green channels" and pay special attention to the control of the start point of transportation. Infectious live poultry must be strictly prohibited from entering or leaving the epidemic-stricken areas and quarantine measures such as sterilization of transportation vehicles entering or leaving the epidemic-stricken regions must be carefully carried out. Airproof, hanging, cold chain and other fresh-keeping techniques should be adopted to avoid infection in transportation. Inspection and examination of the "Green Channels" and facilities should be intensified. No agencies are allowed to block the circulation of healthy livestock and poultry as well as their products from other areas.
Finally the Notice emphasizes that all local governments should study, implement and support policies and measures concerning the "Three Greens Project" in line with their practical conditions, and carry out effective Avian Influenza preventive measures to constantly improve food hygiene.
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