On the morning of October 31, we spotted a large blue banner stretched across the entrance to Mo Market: “The market has been inspected for avian influenza.” Five stalls selling prepared chickens and ducks were set up right at the market’s entrance. The innards and other parts were all present, but every bird looked “as white as cotton” as there were no visible inspection stamps anywhere.
 |
Mo Market Chickens – “I don’t have a stamp yet” |
Moving deeper into the market, we reached the poultry concentration area at the end. There were still an overwhelming number of chickens, cages stacked next to each other. Scattered among the cages were a few inspection certificates, but not every cage had one attached. Upon closer inspection, it turned out that most of the inspection papers were dated October 29, with some dating back to the 27th and 28th.
Also at Mo Market, in the section for pet and meat birds, hundreds of birds of various types were chirping, yet not a single veterinary inspection paper was present among the hundreds of cages!
Mr. Mai Cao Cu, an official from the Mo Market management board, stated that last year there was a 24/7 inspection desk managed by the veterinary department, but this year there has been no implementation of such measures. We then headed over to Hom Market – Duc Vien, a location known for its “attractive” prepared food items. When we asked the vendors, each assured us emphatically that the chickens had been inspected.
However, similar to Mo Market, there were no remaining inspection stamps anywhere on the chickens. We went straight into the slaughtering area, referred to as the concentration zone, where a homeowner was loudly directing the slaughtering process. Mistaking us for high-profile customers, he quickly reassured us, “The inspection papers are all in order, there’s no flu to worry about.” When we inquired further about the inspection process, he responded, “Every day, the veterinary department comes to check; if the chickens look healthy, they attach the inspection paper, and that’s it”(!).
NGOC HA – HOANG MAI
