A HONG KONG food official said yesterday that there is an efficient system monitoring pesticide on vegetables being sold in Hong Kong.

Carrie Yau, permanent secretary for health, welfare and food, said the system is effective as there have been no major food poisoning cases involving pesticide-tainted vegetables recently.

Yau made the remarks to reduce the citizens' anxiety over the poisonous vegetables found in local market. She said samples will be collected at the import, wholesale and retail levels for testing. Traders whose vegetables contain excessive pesticide will be deleted from the list of importers.

Meanwhile, on the policy to cap the maximum daily supply of chickens from the Chinese mainland at 20,000, Yau said the figure was formed after carefully considering different factors. However, she admitted the authority will consider raising the quota during the upcoming Tuen Ng Festival.

Editor: Yan