This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
China has taken a significant step towards improving food safety by announcing plans to phase out the slaughter and sale of live poultry at food markets.
According to a statement by Chen Xu, an official at the State Administration of Market Regulation, China will restrict the trading and slaughter of live poultry, encourage mass slaughter in certain conditions, and gradually close live poultry markets.
On July 3, 2020, China stepped up inspections of wholesale food markets and outlawed the sale and consumption of wildlife, following a recent Covid-19 outbreak in Beijing that was traced to a major agricultural wholesale market.
Live poultry is a common sight in agricultural wholesale food markets and 'wet markets' across China, where it is traditionally butchered on the spot by stallholders or buyers can opt to slaughter the live animal at home.
Animal rights groups have welcomed the announcement, with Jason Baker, senior vice president of PETA Asia, stating, 'We are happy to see that live-poultry markets are on their way out in China. PETA hopes the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration continues to stretch their wings and ban all live-animal markets nationwide.'
