Chinatown vendors say business is way down — by 30 percent to 50 percent or more — in the wake of a much-watched video that shows rats scurrying over produce at Kekaulike Market.

In response, the state Health Department has teamed up with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to increase education among Chinatown vendors about food safety standards. And health inspectors plan to return to Kekaulike Market next week for further inspections.

They'll talk to food vendors about "what's expected of them," note violations and tell merchants when those have to be fixed, said Peter Oshiro, supervisor of the standards office in the Health Department's sanitation branch.

Johnny Ng, of the Arts District Merchants Association, said businesses all over Chinatown, especially eateries, are seeing slumping revenues and dwindling customer numbers during what should be their busiest time of year. Coupled with the slow economy, the rat video is leaving some merchants struggling to pay their rent or cover expenses.

"The negative publicity has really hurt them," Ng said. "It's hurting all of Chinatown."

Ng added, however, that he's confident the drop in customers is a short-term problem.

"It will go back to normal, more or less," he predicted.

At Kekaulike Market yesterday, there were far fewer customers than normal milling about and buying meat, fish and produce. Some merchants aren't sure whether they'll be able to pay for rent this month. Others say they'll have to close up shop if business doesn't improve.

"Slow, very slow," said vendor Lydia Brado.

She estimated that her sales have dropped by about 50 percent.

'WE LIVE DAY BY DAY'

Paul Min, of You Market 2 at Kekaulike, said his sales are down by 60 percent and he compared the small crowds at the marketplace to those after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"The bad side is business is down. The good side is we'll be the cleanest market" in Chinatown, said Min, adding that he's not sure whether some vendors will be able to hold on until customers come back. Min said most merchants in Chinatown are "mom-and-pop" businesses. They don't have much in the way of savings or the ability to take out big loans.

"We live day by day," he said.

The customers who were coming out yesterday said they weren't deterred by the rats.

"I see bigger rats at Ala Moana Beach Park," said Li-li-ha resident Jack Huang, 45, who shops in Chinatown about three times a week to get fresh produce. "Rats are everywhere."

The rat video that sparked a Health Department inspection — and deterred some customers from shopping in Chinatown — was shot by Internet blogger and political watchdog Larry Geller at night on the eve of Thanksgiving. The video shows rats crawling out from under tarps covering bananas and other produce at Pacing's Market, a vendor in Kekaulike Market.

The video was posted on YouTube.com, and got more publicity in the local media. Yesterday, the video had about 24,500 hits on YouTube. It has also been reposted elsewhere.

The video spurred the Health Department to inspect and cite Pacing's Market and prompted next week's stall-to-stall review at Kekaulike Market. Chinese community groups have also stepped in to help vendors tackle the rat problem in hope of bringing back customers.

EDUCATION CAMPAIGN

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce announced yesterday it will partner with the Health Department in an education campaign initially focused on Kekaulike merchants. The chamber will translate food safety fliers for vendors into their own languages and will also help with translations at Health Department workshops in the coming weeks, including one on Dec. 29.

Wesley Fong, coordinator of the effort with the chamber, said other Chinatown marketplaces will be added to the education campaign in the new year, and Fong also wants to get the information to eateries. "It's a matter of education," he said yesterday.

Fong said "you're never (able) to get rid of the rodents" completely.

The effort instead is focused on making sure merchants control the problem and don't make it worse by leaving out uncovered food or throwing away rotting food in open areas.

Fong and Ng, of the Arts District Merchants Association, believe the rat problem in Chinatown has been overblown and said rats are all over the island, not just in Chinatown.

But the two also said Chinatown's rodent problem needs to be addressed.

"We want to make sure we keep Chinatown a viable place," Fong said.