Tag Archives: China

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 9) that samples of several kinds of prepackaged seasoning were found to contain a pesticide, ethylene oxide. Members of the public should not consume the affected products. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected products immediately if they possess any of them.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Chili Powder
Brand: SPICE ISLANDS
Manufactured in: United States
Net weight: 2.4oz (68 grams)
Best-before date: April 19, 2027
Distributor: SIMS Trading Co. Ltd.
Hotline: 2262 1587

Product name: Ground Nutmeg
Brand: BADIA
Packed in: United States
Net weight: 2oz (56.7 grams)
Best-before date: December 2024
Importer: Baking Warehouse.com 
Hotline: 2172 6916

Product name: BASIL LEAVES
Brand: BADIA
Packed in: United States
Net weight: 4oz (113.4 grams)
Best-before date: December 2026
Distributor: Prime Fortune (Asia) Limited
Hotline: 2366 3330

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS collected the above-mentioned samples from a supermarket in Causeway Bay and two online shops respectively for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that the samples contained a pesticide, ethylene oxide. The CFS has informed the vendors concerned of the irregularities and instructed them to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected products. According to the CFS’s instructions, the distributor(s)/importer(s) concerned have initiated recalls on the affected products. Members of the public may call the respective hotlines above during office hours for enquiries about the recalls of the products concerned.”

     The spokesman continued, “The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified ethylene oxide as a Group 1 carcinogen. According to the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap. 132CM), a food for human consumption containing pesticide residue may only be sold if consumption of the food is not dangerous or prejudicial to health. An offender is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months upon conviction.”

     The spokesman urged the public not to consume the affected products if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected products concerned immediately if they possess any of them.

     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incidents and take appropriate action. Investigations are ongoing. read more

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (February 9) the results of the Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) for January 2024.

     The current diffusion index (DI) on business receipts amongst SMEs decreased from 45.5 in December 2023 in the contractionary zone to 43.3 in January 2024, whereas the one-month’s ahead (i.e. February 2024) outlook DI on business receipts was 45.3. Analysed by sector, the current DIs on business receipts for all the surveyed sectors dropped in January 2024 as compared with previous month, particularly for the restaurants (from 45.9 to 42.2) and retail trade (from 44.9 to 41.7).

     The current DI on new orders for the import and export trades decreased from 45.3 in December 2023 to 43.2 in January 2024, whereas the outlook DI on new orders in one month’s time (i.e. February 2024) was 43.5.

Commentary

     A Government spokesman said that overall business sentiment among SMEs and their expectations on the business situation in one month’s time eased in January. The overall employment situation softened somewhat.

     The spokesman added that the difficult external environment and tight financial conditions may continue to dampen business sentiment for the time being. However, continued economic growth should provide some support to business sentiment. The Government will monitor the situation closely.

Further information

     The Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises aims to provide a quick reference, with minimum time lag, for assessing the short-term business situation faced by SMEs. SMEs covered in this survey refer to establishments with fewer than 50 persons engaged. Respondents were asked to exclude seasonal fluctuations in reporting their views. Based on the views collected from the survey, a set of diffusion indices (including current and outlook diffusion indices) is compiled. A reading above 50 indicates that the business condition is generally favourable, whereas that below 50 indicates otherwise. As for statistics on the business prospects of prominent establishments in Hong Kong, users may refer to the publication entitled “Report on Quarterly Business Tendency Survey” released by the C&SD.

     The results of the survey should be interpreted with care. The survey solicits feedback from a panel sample of about 600 SMEs each month and the survey findings are thus subject to sample size constraint. Views collected from the survey refer only to those of respondents on their own establishments rather than those on the respective sectors they are engaged in. Besides, in this type of opinion survey on expected business situation, the views collected in the survey are affected by the events in the community occurring around the time of enumeration, and it is difficult to establish precisely the extent to which respondents’ perception of the business situation accords with the underlying trends. For this survey, main bulk of the data were collected around the last week of the reference month.

     More detailed statistics are given in the “Report on Monthly Survey on the Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises”. Users can browse and download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080015&scode=300).

     Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact Industrial Production Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7246; email: sme-survey@censtatd.gov.hk). read more

     The Government, as well as all football fans, are extremely disappointed that Messi could not play at Tatler XFEST Hong Kong, Hong Kong Team vs Inter Miami CF on February 4.        We have been … read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

Tender date	:	February 9, 2024
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	M2404
Issue date	:	February 14, 2024
Maturity date	:	March 13, 2024
Amount applied	:	HK$8,030 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$2,000 MN
Average yield accepted	:	4.04 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	4.06 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 74 PCT
Average tender yield	:	4.18 PCT
****************************
Tender date	:	February 9, 2024
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	Q2407
Issue date	:	February 14, 2024
Maturity date	:	May 16, 2024
Amount applied	:	HK$121,910 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$59,887 MN
Average yield accepted	:	4.06 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	4.12 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 28 PCT
Average tender yield	:	4.17 PCT
****************************
Tender date	:	February 9, 2024
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	H2436
Issue date	:	February 14, 2024
Maturity date	:	August 14, 2024
Amount applied	:	HK$41,015 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$16,000 MN
Average yield accepted	:	3.99 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	4.02 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 57 PCT
Average tender yield	:	4.11 PCT
****************************
Tender date	:	February 9, 2024
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	Y2486
Issue date	:	February 14, 2024
Maturity date	:	February 12, 2025
Amount applied	:	HK$15,070 MN
Amount allotted	:	HK$3,000 MN
Average yield accepted	:	3.82 PCT
Highest yield accepted	:	3.85 PCT
Pro rata ratio*	:	About 36 PCT
Average tender yield	:	4.01 PCT

 
*”Pro rata ratio” refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant’s tendered amount at the “highest yield accepted” level.
———————————————————

     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning February 19, 2024:
 

Tender date	:	February 19, 2024
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	M2405
Issue date	:	February 20, 2024
Maturity date	:	March 20, 2024
Tenor	:	29 Days
Amount on offer	:	HK$600 MN
****************************
Tender date	:	February 20, 2024
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	Q2408
Issue date	:	February 21, 2024
Maturity date	:	May 22, 2024
Tenor	:	91 Days
Amount on offer	:	HK$61,123 MN
****************************
Tender date	:	February 20, 2024
Paper on offer	:	EF Bills
Issue number	:	H2437
Issue date	:	February 21, 2024
Maturity date	:	August 21, 2024
Tenor	:	182 Days
Amount on offer	:	HK$13,000 MN

read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (February 9) released the latest grading of water quality for four gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming.
      
     Four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:           

Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Golden Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Silverstrand Beach

      
     Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend.  The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.  Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the Beach Water Quality Forecast mobile application (available for download from: www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQApp) or the dedicated beach water quality forecast page (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast) on the EPD’s beach thematic website. read more