SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1988
- 3
LAND REHABILITATION SCHEME MAKES GOOD PROGRESS
*
PILOT
TERRITORIES BACK DESPITE MANY
-
A
THE AGRICULTURAL LAND REHABILITATION SCHEME
GOVERNMENT
DESIGNED PROJECT
TO BRING FALLOW FARM LAND
NEW IN THE TO CULTIVATION
IS MAKING ENCOURAGING HEADWAY OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DR THOMAS (AGRICULTURE) OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, YIP, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
FRAGMENTATION
OF LAND,
HE SAID THAT THESE OBSTACLES INCLUDED MULTIPLE LAND OWNERSHIP AND UNTRACEABLE LANDOWNERS.
JULY THIS
WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE VEGETABLE MARKETING ORGANISATION (VMO), DR YIP SAID, THE SCHEME HAS, SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN
OF FALLOW AGRICULTURAL YEAR, RENTED SOME 22,000 SQUARE METRES FROM LANDOWNERS AT CHEUNG PO IN YUEN LONG AND HOK TAU IN FANLING.
LAND
THE THESE TWO LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO HAVE
GREATEST
LAND THE AGRICULTURAL POTENTIAL FOR
REHABILITATION PROGRAMME. IN THESE TWO AREAS, 42 OUT OF
LAND AGRICULTURAL
ARE
LYING FALLOW.
112 HECTARES
OF
DR YIP MADE THE COMMENTS WHEN HE ATTEND THE EXECUTIVE
PAT HEUNG RURAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE
COMMITTEE TO BRIEF ITS MEMBERS OF THE PROGRESS OF THE REHABILITATION SCHEME.
HE SAID: "IN THE ENDORSEMENT OF VMO'S PARTICIPATION, THE MILLION AS MARKETING ADVISORY BOARD HAS APPROVED THE PROVISION OF $5
THE NECESSARY EXPENDITURE AN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT FUND TO MEET ARISING FROM IMPLEMENTING THE PILOT PROJECT.
"APART FROM THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE VMO, THE GOVERNMENT WILL OF THE AGRICULTURAL PROVIDE SUCH NECESSARY INPUT AS THE IMPROVEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING IRRIGATION, DRAINAGE AND FARM ACCESS.
*
FOR THE IMPROVEMENT WORK IN 1988-89 IN THE TWO PILOT AREAS, SAID, $700,000 HAD BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
10,000 SQUARE METRES OF DR YIP SAID THAT SO FAR RENTED BY THE VMO HAD BEEN SUB-LET TO FARMERS.
HE EXPECTED THAT FURTHER PROGRESS COULD MORE CONTACTS AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH LANDOWNERS FARMERS WERE IN HAND AND MORE LANDOWNERS JOINING THE SCHEME.
HAD
НЕ
FARM LAND
BE ACHIEVED BECAUSE AND POTENTIAL TENANT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN
IN EXPLAINING LAND USES IN RELATION TO THE LAND SCHEME, DR YIP SAID: "THE USAGES ARE
REHABILITATION
ACCORDANCE
STIPULATED IN THE LAND LEASE AGREEMENT AND LANDOWNERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THE LAND IN WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS LAID DOWN IN THE LEASE.
THERE IS