PRIMARY PRODUCTION
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Hong Kong fishing and agricultural industries. It handles the administrative organisa- tion and supervision of co-operative societies of all types and supervises credit unions. Research programmes of the department extend to, and include, crop and animal husbandry as well as fisheries. On government farms, experiments are conducted to improve the quality and yield for each hectare of vegetables, flowers and fruit. The department advises livestock farmers on modern methods of animal production, helps them in the supply of improved and exotic breeds of pigs and poultry, and provides an artificial insemination service for pigs.
Fisheries research is primarily concerned with direct and indirect problems related to the need for information in the attainment of development objectives. These broadly include marine resources, aquaculture, hydrography and marine pollution problems. In marine resource research, emphasis is on recommending new fish stocks for com- mercial exploitation and monitoring the performance of existing capture fisheries and, therefore, known fish stocks. Aquaculture is concerned with culture system develop- ment aimed at increasing the average yield rate over a given area and time. Hydro- graphic investigations are designed to support the need for environmental information in an assortment of biological programmes. Marine pollution research covers a wide scope of problems primarily aimed at identifying the level of pollution and the principal indicators of various forms of pollution; it also serves an advisory function in many ways.
Development
Development services are provided for the agricultural and fishing industries. Due primarily to rising labour costs, the main development in the agricultural industry is the increasing interest that farmers show in the use of pre-emergence herbicides for weed control in market garden crops, and the use of small farm machines and sprinkler irrigation. At the end of 1977, there were 2,400 rotary cultivators and 1,350 sprinkler units in use on vegetable farms.
Teams of agricultural development officers are posted throughout the New Terri- tories to deal with farming and pollution problems and with co-operative societies. Close contact with the farming community and liaison with local co-operative societies and rural associations is' 'maintained by farm advisers. Both credit facilities and technical advice are available through the development service. The agricultural development officers also help farmers in land development and land rehabilitation. In the rural development programme in 1977, more than 6,981 farmers attended farm discussion groups led by professional and technical officers from the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. Some 112 field demonstrations of chemical weed control were conducted in the main vegetable-growing areas for the benefit of farmers. Officers also made more than 123,436 visits to farmers and co-operative societies, and many farmers visited government experimental farms and farming projects.
Fisheries development work involves modernising fishing craft and introducing more efficient fishing gear and navigational aids. An advisory service on hull design and deck arrangement is provided for fishermen, while experiments and demonstrations are conducted to test the suitability of new fishing gear. Fishermen's training classes in navigation, steering and engine operation are organised in the main fishing ports. Education is available to fishermen's children through 13 schools run by the Fish