PRIMARY PRODUCTION
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about 90 tonnes of fish valued at $1.46 million. Ex gratia payments amounting to $0.34 million were granted to the fish farmers concerned to help them to resume operation.
Marketing
Much fresh food produce is sold in wholesale markets managed by the department, the Vegetable Marketing Organisation and the Fish Marketing Organisation. The Western Wholesale Food Market and the Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Food Market Phase I are the two biggest market complexes developed and managed by the department. Each is an integration of several markets. The Western Wholesale Food Market, for example, accommodates markets for freshwater fish, vegetables, fruit, poultry and eggs and allows buyers to purchase a variety of fresh food produce under one roof.
Apart from these market complexes, the department also operates temporary wholesale markets at North District and Cheung Sha Wan for agricultural products and chickens respectively. Plans are under way for the development of Phase II of the Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Food Market to reprovision all fresh food produce wholesale activities in Kowloon under one roof.
During the year, the Government's wholesale markets handled 347 220 tonnes of vegetables, 71 780 tonnes of poultry, 42 520 tonnes of freshwater fish and fisheries. products, 122 770 tonnes of fruit and 63 740 tonnes of fresh and preserved eggs. The total value amounted to $5.4 billion.
The Vegetable Marketing Organisation is established as a non-government body providing wholesale marketing facilities for vegetable farmers. It operates a vegetable wholesale market at Cheung Sha Wan, set up under the Agricultural Products (Marketing) Ordinance on a non-profit-making basis. It charges commission on the vegetables sold and in return provides trading facilities, transport, accounting, and pesticides residue testing services to farmers and traders. Any surplus is ploughed back into the development of the farming industry and the provision of scholarships for farmers' children. During the year, the organisation handled 264 233 tonnes of vegetables valued at $812 million.
The Fish Marketing Organisation is a statutory body established under the Marine Fish (Marketing) Ordinance. It provides orderly marketing services at its seven wholesale markets. Revenue comes from charging commission on the proceeds of sales. Surplus earnings are channelled back into the industry through the provision of low-interest loans to fishermen, improved services and facilities in the markets and scholarships for fishermen's children. In 1999, 50 970 tonnes of marine fish valued at $478 million were sold through the organisation.
Mining and Quarrying
The Mines and Quarries Division of the Civil Engineering Department enforces legislation relating to mining, quarrying and explosives, and administers quarrying contracts. It processes mining and prospecting applications and inspects mining and prospecting areas, stone quarries, blasting sites, explosives stores, and theatrical performances and film productions using pyrotechnics.