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PRIMARY PRODUCTION
organisation is responsible for transporting locally-produced vegetables from the New Territories to the wholesale market in Kowloon, providing marketing facilities, and supervising sales and financial transactions in the market. Revenue is obtained from a 10 per cent commission on sales. The organisation is non-profit-making. It seeks to maximise returns to farmers by minimising marketing costs. It also provides ancillary services such as the acquisition and sale of agricultural supplies to farmers and the awarding of tertiary education scholarships to the children of farmers. During the year, 77 500 tonnes of vegetables valued at $204 million were sold through the organisation.
The Fish Marketing Organisation operates under the Marine Fish (Marketing) Ordi- nance, which also provides for the establishment of a Fish Marketing Advisory Board. The ordinance provides for the control of the landing, wholesale marketing, and the import and export of marine fish. The Fish Marketing Organisation operates seven wholesale fish markets. Revenue arises from a six per cent commission on the proceeds of sales. Surplus earnings are channelled back into the industry in the form of various services such as low interest loans to fishermen; improvements to the markets; financial support for the 14 schools for fishermen's children; and scholarships for secondary and tertiary education. In 1982, the wholesale fish markets handled 78 000 tonnes of marine fish, crustacea and molluscs which were sold for some $480 million. This included 500 tonnes of imported marine fish sold through these markets.
Facilities in the existing wholesale markets are becoming inadequate for handling the ever-increasing quantities of imported fresh vegetables, fruit, poultry, eggs, freshwater fish and crustacea. Marketing activities have spilled onto adjacent public streets causing obstruction and traffic congestion. To improve the situation, plans are going ahead to establish new wholesale markets in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island to centralise the wholesale marketing of fresh foodstuffs. In the interim, the government has brought a number of temporary wholesale markets into operation, the latest being the Western District temporary wholesale fruit market which opened in August.
Mining
Although mining activity has declined rapidly over the last decade, quantities of kaolin, feldspar and quartz were worked by openpit methods during 1982. At the end of the year, no mining leases or prospecting licences were in effect but four mining licences issued by the Commissioner of Mines were in operation. Details of leases and licences are published twice a year in the Government Gazette.
The Mines Division of the Labour Department enforces legislation and safety regulations relating to mining and explosives. It processes mining and prospecting applications; inspects mining and prospecting areas, stone quarries, blasting sites and explosives stores; and issues shortfirers' blasting certificates. The division also controls the possession, conveyance, storage, manufacture and use of explosives in Hong Kong including delivery of explosives from government depots to blasting sites. In addition, it manages government explosives depots that provide bulk storage facilities for imported explosives.
The explosives sub-depot at Mount Butler Quarry, which was set up in October 1981, has been supplying explosives exclusively to sites associated with the Mass Transit Railway Island Line. Additional storage space was provided for some five tonnes of fireworks for a display in January to mark the Lunar New Year festivities. Approval was given in April for the importation and use in Hong Kong of Chinese-manufactured explosives and blasting accessories after storage and firing tests of the dangerous goods were undertaken by the Mines Division. The consumption of explosives during the year was 5 255 tonnes.