PRIMARY PRODUCTION
fish marketing organisations. In the year under review, 43 per cent of locally-produced vegetables, and 68 per cent of the landed marine fish, were sold through these organisations.
The Vegetable Marketing Organisation operates under the Agricultural Products (Marketing) Ordinance, which also provides for the establishment of a Marketing Advisory Board to advise the Director of Marketing (the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries). It seeks to maximise returns to farmers by minimising marketing costs. The 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 and surpluses are ploughed back into the development of marketing services and the farming industries. The organisation provides ancillary services such as the acquisition and sale of agricultural supplies to farmers, and the awarding of secondary and tertiary education scholarships to their children. It also monitors and checks pesticide residue levels in both the imported and locally produced vegetables that it handles, to safeguard public health. During the year, 37 300 tonnes of local vegetables valued at $114 million were sold through the organisation.
The Fish Marketing Organisation operates under the Marine Fish (Marketing) Ordinance, which also provides for the establishment of a Fish Marketing Advisory Board. The ordinance provides for the control of the landing, transport, wholesale marketing, and import and export of marine fish. The organisation operates seven wholesale fish markets. Revenue comes from a commission on the proceeds of sales. Surplus earnings are channelled back into the industry in the form of services such as low-interest loans to fishermen, improvements to the markets, financial support for schools for fishermen's children, and scholarships for secondary and tertiary education.
In 1993, the wholesale fish markets handled 64 000 tonnes of marine fish, crustacea and molluscs which were sold for $573 million. This included 5 360 tonnes of imported marine fish.
The wholesale marketing of imported vegetables, fruit, poultry, eggs, freshwater fish and crustacea takes place at various Agriculture and Fisheries Department wholesale markets throughout the territory.
Facilities in some of these markets have become dilapidated and congested. Unable to cope with the increasing throughput, their marketing activities have spilled onto adjacent areas, causing obstruction, traffic congestion and environmental problems. To improve the situation, a long-term programme has been devised to replace the outdated markets with large modern wholesale market complexes, on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon, and to centralise the wholesale marketing of fresh foodstuffs. The department has so far completed the first phases of the complexes on Hong Kong Island and the West Kowloon Reclamation. Phase one of the Hong Kong complex, which handles fruit, freshwater fish and eggs, was commissioned in 1991. Phase one of the Kowloon complex was handed over to the department in September 1993. It provides facilities for the wholesale marketing of imported vegetables, freshwater fish and eggs as well as incorporating the Fish Marketing Organisation market for Cheung Sha Wan. Phase two work on the Hong Kong complex, which includes the poultry and imported vegetable markets, is progressing satisfactorily. Preparation is being made for these markets to be commissioned in early 1994. Pending the completion of the second phase of the Kowloon complex and the permanent markets
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