PRIMARY PRODUCTION
Agricultural Development
Limited supply of farm land and labour, competition from imports, environmental controls and calls for improved farm hygiene and safe produce in the wake of food safety scares have all resulted in the agriculture industry having to adapt rapidly to sustain its long-term development.
Farmers are encouraged to cultivate premium vegetables and to introduce good quality livestock and improved disease control measures. The department provides. farmers with technical support as well as low-interest loans to enhance agricultural productivity and promote safe and environmentally friendly production methods.
During 1999, an additional 19 vegetable farmers joined the Accredited Farm Scheme implemented by the department and the Vegetable Marketing Organisation. Vegetable farms are granted accreditation if they adopt good agricultural practices and use pesticides in accordance with a properly designed pest-control programme. They are subject to regular inspection and their produce is closely monitored for pesticide residues in the wholesale market. Produce is distributed from accredited farms to designated retail outlets in specially marked vegetable baskets and is promoted under a newly designed 'Good Farmer' logo.
Through the applied agricultural research programme of the department, two new vegetable varieties suitable for local production, namely coloured sweet pepper and zucchini, were introduced in 1999. Integrated pest management systems for vegetables were also introduced to reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides.
Under the Livestock Keeping Licensing Scheme, livestock farmers are required to install and operate waste treatment systems to prevent pollution of watercourses. At the end of 1999, the department had issued 556 licences and a further 193 licence applications were being processed. This scheme had considerably improved the water quality in rivers within the New Territories.
The poultry industry continued to recover after the 1997 avian influenza outbreak. Farm hygiene standards are maintained through the co-operation of local producers and vigilant enforcement by the department. The control measures proved to be effective. No new outbreaks of avian influenza associated with the H5 virus occurred in local farms.
Additional hygiene measures were introduced in markets following the isolation of H9N2 avian influenza viruses from two children in March. These viruses were closely related to H9N2 influenza viruses isolated from poultry in Hong Kong markets. The children recovered and no new cases of disease associated with these viruses were reported in humans in 1999. Surveillance for influenza viruses has been stepped up in both humans and animals.
To ensure food safety, the pig industry and the department implemented measures to deter the use of clenbuterol and to ensure other veterinary chemicals such as antibiotics were used in a manner that did not leave residues of these drugs in pigs at the time of slaughter. Under the testing and tracing back system, pigs are tattooed with consignment-specific, five-digit numerals identifying the farm of origin and are tested for clenbuterol on admission to slaughterhouses. Those tested positive are detained and traced back to the farm for further investigation. Screening tests for antibiotics have also been introduced. The system has worked effectively. The identification system would be extended to cattle and goats in 2000.
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