Customers still shun poultry

Beijing Dongjiao Market's 50-odd poultry stalls present a tidy look, and the meat appears fresh and hygienic. But vendors do not attract as many buyers as before, thanks to the bird flu scare.

Yu Kejun, a vendor, said many individual customers had been staying away from poultry for the past two months. It is only because of bulk sales to restaurants that the vendors have been able to make ends meet, Yu said.

Eight people have contracted bird flu this year, according to the Ministry of Health.