PRIMARY PRODUCTION
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analysed to help formulate local production and marketing policies. The business efficiency of different sectors within the primary industries is studied to establish and update productivity standards and to identify areas for improvement. Forward projection studies of the market demand for foods are prepared and the projections are then related to local primary production capacity, both actual and potential.
Research programmes of the department cover crops, pest control, animal husbandry and fisheries. Experiments are conducted on government farms to improve the quality and yield of vegetables, flowers and fruit. The department advises livestock farmers on modern methods of animal production, supplies good quality breeding stocks of pigs and poultry, and provides an artificial insemination service for pigs.
Fisheries research is conducted on marine resources, aquaculture, hydrography and the effects of marine pollution on the fisheries environment. In marine resources, emphasis is placed on investigating new offshore fish stocks for commercial exploitation within the range of the Hong Kong fleet and on monitoring the performance of existing capture fisheries.
Aquaculture research is concerned with the development both of more efficient culture systems for fish and molluscs and of improved methods of producing marine fish fry. Hydrographic investigations are designed to supply environmental information for an assortment of biological programmes. Research is also aimed at assessing the impact of pollution, including red tides, on fisheries, particularly mariculture, in order to minimise production loss.
Development Farming and Fishing
Owing to the shortage of farm labour in Hong Kong and its rising cost, the main development in the agricultural industry in recent years has been the introduction of labour-saving devices. Farmers use pre-emergence herbicides for weed control in market garden crops and there is widespread use of small farm machines and sprinkler irrigation. At the end of 1984, there were 5 900 rotary cultivators and 2 335 sprinkler units in use on vegetable farms.
The plastic net house, designed to aid vegetable growing in adverse weather, is the subject of an active development programme by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. The net houses, which are particularly suitable for leafy green vegetables, protect crops from bad weather, insects and birds. Technical assistance, agricultural loans and related services have been made available to farmers to promote their installation for better farming results. The cultivation of edible mushrooms has gained considerable popularity in recent years and at the end of 1984 there were 53 mushroom farms. The locally produced mushroom has about a 85 per cent share of the local market.
Teams of agricultural development officers are posted by the department throughout the New Territories to deal with farming and pollution problems, and to liaise with co-operative societies and rural associations.
Credit facilities and technical advice are available to farmers and the agricultural development officers also assist them in land development and rehabilitation.
In the rural development programme during the year, more than 600 farmers attended farm discussion groups led by professional and technical officers from the department and 63 600 visits were made to farmers and co-operative societies. Visits were also arranged for farmers to see 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
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