Zhangjiagang city hasn't lifted the ban on live poultry trade at farmers' markets in the city, the industry and commerce authority said recently.

On June 6, the city’s industry and commerce administration and the agricultural committee launched a joint inspection on poultry trade areas across the city. According to the latest requirements, only qualified markets can have live poultry trade.

The qualifications for such markets include: separate trades of aquatic fowls and dryland birds, separation of live poultry trade from butchering, separate locations for live poultry and other farm produce trades, as well as different locations for dressed birds sales and poultry butchering.

According to the inspectors, the city will lift the ban until related markets have passed the approval tests and others finished necessary renovations according to standards.

The city is also setting up new regulations on live poultry trade as continuing measures to prevent and control the spread of H7N9 bird flu.