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7. The New Territory village egg is more expensive than the imported egg. The usual price paid to the producer is 3 cents or 2.8 cents an egg, and this does not include the expense of sending out fokis to collect them and transporting them to Hong Kong.
8. Mr. Leung estimated from enquiries made by himself that at the present sea- son, which appears to be the best season, the total New Territory production of eggs is about 1000 a day over and above what the producers themselves need for their own consumption. Generally speaking very few of these eggs find their way into Hong Kong or Kowloon, although some people who go to sell things in the New Territory bring eggs back. Mr. Leung considers that if the output of New Territory eggs were ten times what it is at present, it would then become worth while for Hong Kong dealers to send out to buy them and bring them into Hong Kong. As it is, it is not worth their while.
9. The amount of eggs produced in the New Territory is very small for the reason that the farmers do not rear hens to produce them. If the farmers reared hens until they were older instead of selling them as young chickens, they could pro- duce more eggs. Mr. Leung was not able to make any practical suggestion as to how the farmers could be persuaded to take this action. He suggested that the Gov- ernment might reduce Crown rent for successful egg producers; but this suggestion would scarcely bear serious examination.
10. On the subject of suitability of the soil for chicken farming, Mr. Leung said that chickens had undoubtedly died off in many places in the New Territory and that something might be done by scientific investigation to discover which portions of the New Territory are suitable for poultry farms.
11. Mr. Leung was asked whether he thought the public would be willing to pay a higher price than the price of imported eggs in order to get the better quality of the New Territory eggs. He said that his own New Territory eggs were supplied to Peak customers, and a reasonable conclusion is that there may always be a limited number of persons who are prepared to pay a higher or even a fancy price for especially good eggs, but that for the general public, price is a paramount consideration.
12. Mr. Leung also said that it was difficult to stimulate a keenness for poultry farming among the peasantry for whom it is not a traditional trade, and the farmers are not acquainted with the proper method of hen rearing and this, apart from any question of climate, is a serious contributory factor to the perishing of New Territory hens.
13. In the experience of one member of the Committee who rears hens on his Taipo estate, severe mortality among his hens takes place at certain seasons of the year, in spite of the most careful attention. How much more, then, will a neglected village hen, left to fend for herself in the open, be an easy victim?
On the other hand the Committee is informed by one of its members that he has received an expression of opinion from Mr. J. A. S. Alves, who was in sole charge of the Poultry Section at the two British Empire Fairs held in Hong Kong. In stating his opinion Mr. Alves expressed the view that, given proper housing and feeding, he could see no reason why hens should not be successfully reared in the New Territories in suitable localities. Attention would be necessary to the selection of the most suit- able strains, and an experiment in the production of eggs on a large scale in the New Territories for the markets of Hong Kong and Kowloon would be justified. He cited in particular the case of Sunny Farm whose eggs command a ready sale at certain stores in Hong Kong.
14. From the New Territory side of the egg question, the District Officer secured for us certain statements and information which are attached as Appendix A to this Report.* From these statements it is evident that New Territory producers have no difficulty in selling their eggs to the big market centres of Yuen Long and Tai Po. The dealers in those markets are unanimous in saying that the demand exceeds the supply. The dealers there would welcome increased production on the part of the farmer; but it seems that the farmer cannot afford to take the risk. Capital would be needed in the first place, and the danger of having his hens dying upon him makes this avenue of profit too uncertain for the small farmer.
*Not printed.