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PRIMARY PRODUCTION
seeking other outlets have met with little success in the face of increasing competition from other countries in the region. During the year 1,819 piculs of salt and dried fish were exported.
The provision of cheap credit is one of the most important services offered by the Fish Marketing Organization to local fisher- men. The Organization's revolving loan fund, established in 1946, has made 6,368 loans totalling $15,864,058.95. Of this, some $13,367,732.71 had been repaid at the end of the year. The fund's ceiling was stabilized at $3 million during the year. In 1957 the Co-operative for American Relief Everywhere (CARE) donated $31,000 to form a revolving loan fund for shrimp fishermen, which was increased to $92,400 by a further donation from CARE in 1962. This fund is administered by the organization and loans totalling $222,090.00 have been made; repayments total $183,369.74. The organization also carries out investigations and acts as collecting agent for the two Government loan funds adminis- tered by the Co-operative Development and Fisheries Department.
A further important side to the organization's development pro- gramme is the provision of schooling facilities for the children of fishermen up to (in some cases) primary six standard. Adult educa- tion classes have also been opened at Sha Tau Kok and-Shau Kei Wan. Eleven schools, one of which was reprovisioned during the year, have been established by the organization; all now come under the Education Department's subsidy code. At the close of the year, approximately 2,420 fishermen's children were receiving education at these schools and a further 887 were attending other schools (including secondary) on scholarships provided by the organization. All Fish Marketing Organization schools have advisory committees composed of leaders of the fishing communi- ties served by the schools. In recognition of the importance of vocational training, a secondary modern school is about to be built at Aberdeen. It is intended that at this school fishermen's children will be able to continue their general education beyond the primary level and at the same time receive instruction in vocational subjects geared to the requirements of a modern fishing industry. With the co-operation of Radio Hong Kong a weekly radio programme directed toward the fishing community was continued during the year. The programme, which is mainly educational and informa- tive, has been received enthusiastically by the fishermen.