SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1981
- 7
-
MORE VEGETABLES PRODUCED LAST YEAR
****
PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES LAST YEAR CONTINUED TO INCREASE DESPITE THE DECREASE IN ACREAGE OF VEGETABLE LAND, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR C.T. WONG SAID THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING.
DR WONG SAID LAST YEAR PROVED TO BE A GOOD YEAR FOR THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AS THE WEATHER WAS FAVOURABLE.
VEGETABLE PRODUCTION INCREASED BY 8 470 TONNES TO 192 090 TONNES COMPARED WITH 1979, DESPITE THE CONTINUED DECREASE IN ACREAGE OF LAND FROM 3 140 HECTARES IN 1979 TO 2 800 HECTARES LAST YEAR.
DR WONG WAS SPEAKING AT A DINNER IN A KOWLOON RESTAURANT TO COMMEMORATE THE 59TH INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE DAY.
+THE SLIGHT DROP OF 3.7 PER CENT IN THE VALUE OF VEGETABLES WAS DUE TO A DECREASE IN MARKET PRICES RESULTING FROM A GREAT INCREASE IN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION BECAUSE OF THE ABNORMALLY WARM WEATHER AROUND CHINESE NEW YEAR, DR WONG SAID.
WHILE PRODUCTION OF PIGS AND CHICKEN DROPPED SLIGHTLY, INCREASES WERE REGISTERED IN PIGEON AND DUCK PRODUCTION DURING THE SAME PERIOD, HE SAID.
DR WONG RECALLED THAT A GROUP OF 15 VEGETABLE FARMERS OF THE FEDERATION OF VEGETABLE MARKETING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES HAD A SUCCESSFUL TOUR OF AGRICULTURAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN JAPAN IN JUNE LAST YEAR.
+PLANS ARE IN HAND TO SEND A DELEGATION OF YOUNG FARMERS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR ATTACHMENT PROBABLY NEXT YEAR,+ DR WONG SA ID.
LOANS TOTALLING MORE THAN $12 MILLION WERE ISSUED FROM THE THREE AGRICULTURAL LOAN FUNDS TO BOTH CROP AND LIVESTOCK FARMERS.
TURNING TO FISHERIES, DR WONG SAID PRODUCTION BY THE LOCAL FISHING FLEET INCREASED BY 2.3 PER CENT EVEN UNDER DIFFICULT SITUATION AND THE ACTUAL VALUE ROSE BY EIGHT PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
MORE THAN 500 NEW FISHING VESSELS WERE BUILT AND LICENSED LAST YEAR, MANY OF WHICH WERE FINANCED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT FROM THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION LOAN FUND, THE WORLD REFUGEE YEAR LOAN FUND AND THE CO-OPERATIVE FOR AMERICAN RELIEF EVERYWHERE LOAN FUND.
DR WONG DISCLOSED THAT WHILE SOME MEMBERS OF THE FISHERMEN'S CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES HAD CEASED FISHING DUE TO CHANG ING CIRCUMSTANCES AND WERE NO LONGER ACTIVE IN SOCIETY MATTERS, THE ACTIVE ONES COULD SURVIVE AND GROW BY POOLING THEIR FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES WITH OTHER SOCIETIES TO PROVIDE A GREATER CAPITAL BASE AND ENHANCE ITS CREDIT-WORTHINESS.
STAFF CF