5.
10
Goats 357 (Note
-
With the exception of a few Goats kept by
Indians the Sheep and Goats are imported for slaughter). Figures for Pigs do not appear save as an Import 243,410 head, valued at $5.4 millions; Game and Poultry (live) appear as an Import at 2.5 millions valued at $1.9 millions; Eggs are given as an Import valued at $2.5 millions. By extraction and computation from
Imports and Exports sections, the followi ng figures are obtained, representing the value of the separate items retained for Colony
Animals consumption and/or re-exported in some other form
-
Figures
$7.9 millions; Foodstuffs and Provisions $31.5 millions. for Colony agricultural products seem difficult to obtain but the following figures of "estimated Rice production" are of
interest Southern District
-
-
Total acreage of cultivated
land 10,434 acres; total rice area 4523 acres; total yield of milled rice per annum 18,035 piculs. Northern District and Hong Kong Island total yield of milled rice per annum 82,580
(G. S. piculs.
-
100,615 piculs per annum. Colony total -
Kennedy-Skipton, Corr.(2))
3.
Chief Difficulties encountered to Date. From the
information available the chief difficulties, either encountered
or considered important, in relation to agricultural development
in the New Territories are the following:-
Water
Agricultural practices are dependent on a liberal water supply whether on terraced slops or on the lower land. It has been stated that the construction of water catchment aqueducts have seriously affected some areas and if continued into the larger producing areas, may have serious repercussions on local agriculture.
Finance The general poverty of the peasant population and consequent lack of ready money has been and still is, considered a serious handicap to development. Suggestions have been made, from time to time, that financial assist- ance should be rendered by Government either directly or
Out of the various by subsidising interested parties.
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