HK Milk Formula, Don't Take More Than Two Tinshttp://www.lifeofguangzhou.com/node_981/node_989/node_997/node_1006/2013/03/05/1362448883138156.shtmlMarch 5, 2013
People leaving Hong Kong customs can only carry 1.8 kg (about two tins) of powdered formula, including milk powder and soya milk powder, for infants and children under 36 months.
A regulation has taken effect from March 1 in Hong Kong, limiting bringing baby milk formula to the mainland.
The new Import & Export (General) (Amendment) Regulation 2013 sets limits on the export of baby milk. People leaving Hong Kong customs can only carry 1.8 kg (about two tins) of powdered formula, including milk powder and soya milk powder, for infants and children under 36 months. Offenders will face a fine of up to HK0,000 (,000) and two years in jail.
Within two days after the amendment took effect, the Hong Kong customs detained 45 violators, including 26 Hong Kong residents, 18 Chinese mainlanders and one person with a foreign passport, according to Hong Kong's Information Service Department.
Hong Kong government determined to curb baby milk smuggling after an acute milk shortage reached a peak in 2012. Hong Kong mothers protested that customers from mainland China came to take away a large amount of baby milk, causing milk to fall short of supply and milk prices to skyrocket on the island.
The crush for milk smuggling from Hong Kong to mainland China is due to mainlanders' lack of faith in the Chinese mainland's milk industry. Since 2008, a series of milk scandals broke out in China and among the guilty companies some were household-known brands.
China's largest e-commerce platform Taobao.com has seen the price of baby milk exported from Hong Kong increase . A tin of milk powder now costs RMB275, 20% up since this January, according to sh.eastday.com.
(By Shi Yuanyuan)
Editor:Lynus Tan