XN000022-1973-07-04 — Page 24

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Wednesday, July 4, 1973

NEW MARKETS TO HANDLE IMPORTED VEGETABLES

The government believes that the wholesaling of locally produced

vegetables should continue to be channelled through the Vegetable Marketing

Organisation, the Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave, said today.

Replying to a question from the Hon.Wilfred Wong, he said the

wholesaling of imported vegetables would be covered by new markets now

being built or planned.

These markets, he said, would be run by a similar body as the

Vegetable Marketing Organisation and would be under the Director of

Agriculture and Fisheries in his capacity as Director of Marketing.

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Mr. Haddon-Cave explained that the marketing of imported vegetables

was different from that required by local producers who received a variety

of services from the Vegetable Marketing Organisation which were not

needed by importers.

In answer to another question from Mr. Wong, the Financial

Secretary said the average daily volume of vegetables handled by the

Vegetable Marketing Organisation in April was 3,456 piculs of which

78.3 per cent were locally produced.

The corresponding figures for May and June were 3,595 piculs and

79.4 per cent, and 3,286 picule and 81.1 per cent.

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