HONG KONG, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The quota for live chicken import from the Chinese mainland will be raised on June 16-18 to meet the surge in demand for Dragon Boat Festival, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau of Hong Kong said Tuesday.

The Bureau said that the daily limit will rise from 20,000 to 50,000. But the move will be suspended if human or poultry avian influenza infections are found in Guangdong Province or Hong Kong during the period.

The government cautiously decided to adopt last year's arrangement again in view of bird flu cases in the area, rather than lifting the quota further. The bureau reminded the trade and public to continue observing measures strictly to prevent bird flu during the festive period.