0003230
G.F. 323
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if that was not possible they should go to the fish loans in Hong Kong, but they must not land at FMO markets. Those demands were largely ignored. There is, therefore, reason to hope that local fishermen would react in the same way in any future boycotts by China. The net fresh marine fish supplies available in such circumstances should be in the range of 5,000 - 7,000 tons a month.
42.
Alternative supplies could be made available by attracting Japanese, Korean and Taiwan boats to offload their catches here. That no attempt is now made by these vessels to exploit the Hong Kong market is due to the relatively low local fish prices. These alternative supplics are therefore unlikely to be attracted to Hong Kong unless there is a substantial increase in local prices. Any such general increase in price levels will also give local fishermen a much greater incentive to take risks in order to continue fishing and to sell their catch locally.
Pond Fish
Nearly
43.
This refers to live, fresh and frozen frosh-water fish, the monthly consumption of which is about 2,700 metric tons. 97% is imported from China and there are no practical alternative sources of supply. Local supplies are increasing slowly.
Fresh Vegetables
440
The average consumption of fresh vegetables is ovor 29,000 tons a month. Over a 12-month period approximately 55% of this supply comes from China, 40% from local sources and the reminder from overseas. Local production drops significantly during the hot summer months; during the period from July to November, supplies from China can rise to almost 70% of total consumption. However typhoons can have a considerable effect on local production. Non-perishable vegetables - that is, root crops, gourds, pumpkins, hearted cabbages, etc. constituto a much higher proportion of imported vegetables than of local vegetables. Nearly four-fifths of the consumption of perishable leafy vegetables is produced locally. The area of land potentially suitable for vegetable production is almost twice the area now used for this purpose; local participation in the market could therefore be increased under the stimulus of higher prices. The time interval required would depend on the season of the year i.e. on whether the land was being cropped for rice, and on whether water supply was immediately available. In an emergency, the supplies which are now received from Japan and Taiwan could undoubtedly be increased if prices were sufficiently attractive but it is likely that local production would increase more rapidly. They already provide a small percentage of the fresh vegetables consumed locally. (See Appendix 3) The Philippines and Thailand are additional potential sources in the rogion but the vegetables which they could supply are of limited range and it is unlikely that they would be popular.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ Frozen