100
PRIMARY PRODUCTION
The amount of land used to cultivate rice dropped from 9 450 hectares in 1954 to less than 10 hectares in 1987. Rice production has given way to intensive vegetable production, which gives a far higher return.
Much former paddy land around the more remote villages has fallen into disuse and now lies fallow.
Various types of fruit are grown in Hong Kong. The principal crops are longan, lychees, wampei, tangerines, local lemons, bananas and guavas. Land under orchards in 1954 totalled 390 hectares, but by 1987, it was 530 hectares. Other field crops such as sweet potatoes, taro, yams and sugar cane are cultivated on a small scale in the remote and drier areas where water and transport facilities are inadequate for growing vegetables. Some 50 hectares were under rain-fed crops in 1987 compared with 1 410 hectares in 1954.
Because there is insufficient land for extensive grazing, pigs and poultry are the principal animals reared for food. Pigs in Hong Kong are mostly crosses of local animals with exotic stock. The value of locally produced pigs killed in 1987 amounted to $378 million.
The production value of poultry, including chickens, ducks, pigeons and quails, amounted to $611 million in 1987. Local chicken production was about 17 million birds, representing 43 per cent of total consumption.
Friesian cattle are kept by dairies, all of which are in the New Territories.
Sporadic outbreaks of a mild type of foot-and-mouth disease (Type O) and swine fever still occur, but are kept under control by vaccination. Newcastle Disease in poultry is controlled by the use of Ranikhet and intranasal-drop vaccines. Investigations to establish the incidence of intercurrent disease in both pigs and poultry are carried out at the government's veterinary laboratory.
Stringent rabies control measures remained in force throughout the year. These include extensive immunisation of dogs and cats against rabies, intensive catching and elimination of stray dogs, and restriction of canine movement into and out of the gazetted rabies- infected area. The gazetted infected area covered the Frontier Closed Area. In addition, Sing Ping San Chuen, Ta Kwu Ling and Pat Heung, Yuen Long were also designated as rabies infected areas in May and June respectively after the confirmation of four indigenous canine rabies cases. By the end of 1987, 22 456 dogs had been humanely destroyed and another 49 869 licensed and inoculated against rabies.
As a standard practice, all imported dogs and cats, other than those directly from Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, are subject to six months quarantine. Any dog that has bitten a person is required to be detained for observation in government kennels for seven days. All cattle and pigs imported for food are quarantined on arrival in Hong Kong. Importation for breeding purposes is also subject to strict control.
Fishing Industry
Marine fish constitute one of Hong Kong's most important primary products. More than 150 fish species of commercial importance frequent the waters of the adjacent continental shelf. Most important of these in terms of landed weight are golden thread, big-eyes, lizardfishes, melon seeds and squids. Total production from the two major sectors - marine capture and culture fisheries - is estimated at about 227 000 tonnes with a wholesale value of $2,300 million in 1987. These figures represented increases of 6.5 per cent in weight and 10 per cent in value compared with 1986. Of the total production, 96 per cent in weight came from marine capture and four per cent from culture fisheries. In terms of wholesale value, 88 per cent came from marine capture and 12 per cent from culture fisheries.