XN000022-1972-03-16 — Page 29

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Thursday, March 16, 1972

"I find again in this year's Budget, although the Department's

total expenditure had gone up by 21 per cent to $22 million, the money

allocated for research and development had remained the same as last year,

and in some cases the amount is even less than last year, " he said.

Quoting figures from the Department's report, Mr. Lo said that

production of pigs, chickens, ducks and vegetables for the past two years remained

almost constant whereas there was no increase at all in the production

of marine fish as compared to an average increase of five per cent between

1960 and 1965 and four per cent between 1965 and 1970.

Research

He pointed out that the increasing demand without the corresponding

increase in supply had made the price go up by 17 per cent in last year alone.

"We should speed up our fishery research in order to guide fishermen

to better fishing grounds, and to introduce more efficient fishing vessels

which the Department is doing at the moment in a small way.

"We should teach our young fishermen modern fishing techniques

which their own parents are unable to teach them, he said.

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