MONDAY, MAY 21, 1990
LOCALLY GROWN SUPER-SWEET CORN NOW AVAILABLE
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LOCAL FARMERS HAVE SUCCEEDED IN GROWING SUPER-SWEET CORN ON A MARKET SCALE UNDER A PILOT PRODUCTION SCHEME JOINTLY ADMINISTERED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT (AFD) AND THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF VEGETABLE MARKETING CO-OPERATIVES (HKFVMC).
MARKETING OF THE PRODUCE AND LIAISON WITH BUYERS IS BEING LOOKED AFTER BY THE VEGETABLE MARKETING ORGANISATION (VMO).
THE PRODUCTION TRIAL FOLLOWS AN AFD DEMONSTRATION IN JANUARY THIS YEAR TO ENCOURAGE HONG KONG FARMERS TO GROW EXOTIC VEGETABLES BY USING THE MASS SEEDLING PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE.
BY RAISING THE SWEET CORN SEEDLINGS IN THE GREEN HOUSE, THE GROWING PERIOD IN THE OPEN FIELD CAN BE SHORTENED FROM AROUND 70 DAYS TO 50 DAYS.
"SUPER-SWEET CORN, A NOVEL TYPE OF VEGETABLE RECENTLY DEVELOPED FOR MARKET PRODUCTION MAINLY IN THE U.S. WAS SELECTED FOR THE TRIAL BECAUSE IT WAS THE CROP WHICH ATTRACTED THE MOST ATTENTION FROM UP-MARKET BUYERS DURING THE JANUARY DEMONSTRATION," AFD'S AGRICULTURAL OFFICER (HORTICULTURE), MR HO KOON-YU, EXPLAINED TODAY (MONDAY).
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ANOTHER REASON FOR CHOOSING THE SUPER-SWEET CORN WAS THAT CROP WAS EXPECTED TO FETCH A GOOD RETURN FOR GROWERS BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH QUALITY AND THIS WOULD STIMULATE FARMERS' INTEREST IN CULTIVATING EXOTIC VEGETABLE VARIETIES.
THE PRODUCTION TRIAL STARTED AROUND THE END OF MARCH THIS YEAR AND 36 FARMERS HAVE SET ASIDE A TOTAL OF THREE HECTARES OF FARM LAND FOR THE PROJECT,
IN THIS PILOT SCHEME, AFD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING SUPER-SWEET CORN SEEDLINGS TO PARTICIPATING FARMERS AND ADVISING THEM ON THE CULTIVATION TECHN I QUE WHILE THE IK FVMO! IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANISING THE PRODUCTION PROGRAMME.
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"THE CROPS ARE SCHEDULED TO SPREAD OUT SUPPLY OVER A PERFOR ABOUT 50 DAYS AND AROUT
000 CORS OF SUPER SWIFT CORN WILL PR HARVESTED DAILY AS FROM TIES WERK, MR HO SAID.
TO MARKET THE FRODUCE, THE VMO TODAY ORGANISED A TASTING PANEL AND A TRAP TO THE FARMERS' FIELDS IN KAM TIN. YUEN LONG, FOR INTFRESTED BUYERS FROM 12 LEADING HOTEL SUPPLIERS, SUPERMARKETS, FAST FOOD CATERERS AND JAPANESE DEPARTMENT STORES.
TIK BUYERS WERK GENERALLY IMPRESSED WITHI THE QUALITY OF TAK SUPER SWEET CORN ALTHOUGH SOME EXPRESSED WORRY OVER THE STEADY OF THE PRODUCK. SOME PLACED ORDERS WITH THE VMO IMMEDIATELY.
SUPPLY
PLAYING A MIDDLE-MAN ROLE BETWEEN PARMERS AND BUYERS THE VMO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MARKETING, PACKAGING, QUALITY CONTROL AS WELL AS DELIVERY OF THE SUPER-SWEET CORN.
/ACCORDING TO