XN000022-1977-01-02 — Page 1

PRH 7

香港政府

GIS 新聞處

DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN

SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 1977

PLASTIC NET HOUSE TO ENSURE UNINTERRUPTED

VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

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THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT HAS ACHIEVED A MAJOR BREAK-THROUGH IN FINDING A WAY TO SAFEGUARD THE PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AGAINST TYPHOON AND HEAVY RAIN IN SUMMER.

HEADACHE+

EXTREME WET PERIODS AND STRONG WINDS HAVE BEEN THE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES VEGETABLE FARMERS FOR YEARS. THEY HAVE SUFFERED LOSSES BOTH IN TERMS OF MONEY AND HUMAN EFFECT.

NOW THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT'S VEGETABLE RESEARCH FARM IN SHEUNG SHUI HAS FOUND AN ASPIRIN+ TO DEAL WITH THIS +HEADACHE+ AFTER THREE YEARS OF EXTENSIVE RESEARCH.

THE REMEDY IS THE SIMPLE PLASTIC NET HOUSE WHICH HAS BEEN FOUND EFFECTIVE TO ENSURE CONTINUOUS VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT'S AGRICULTURAL OFFICER.

MR. S.M. YIP, IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT, THE NET WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF SHORTAGES OF LOCAL SUPPLIES OF FRESH VEGETABLES DURING RAINY AND TYPHOON SEASONS- BOTH FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE VEGETABLE GROWERS AS WELL AS CONSUMERS.

+ENVIRONMENTAL HOUSING IS THE TECHNIQUE EMPLOYED IN MODERN HORTICULTURE TO ENSURE A CONTINUOUS AND UNINTERRUPTED PROGRAMME OF PRODUCTION FOR THE MARKET, HE SAID.

MR. YIP POINTED OUT THAT GLASSHOUSES WERE WIDELY USED IN ADVANCED COUNTRIES FOR THIS PURPOSE. BUT HE ADDED THAT THE GLASSHOUSE IDEA COULD NOT BE DIRECTLY APPLIED IN HONG KONG BECAUSE IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE AND BECAUSE THE PROBLEM OF SUMMER COOL ING HAD NOT BEEN SATISFACTOR ILY WORKED OUT IN THE DESIGN OF GLASSHOUSE FOR WARM CLIMATES.

+WE TURNED TO OTHER CHEAPER AND MORE PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVE AND ADOPTED THE PLASTIC NETTING IDEA, + HE SAID. INSTEAD OF GLASS, THE STRUCTURE IS CLAD IN PLASTIC NETTING, PROVIDING QUITE A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM,+

+WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT FOR THREE YEARS NOW AND WE HAVE TRIED GROWING DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETABLES IN THE NET HOUSE, HE EXPLAINED.

+WE FOUND THAT SHORT-TERM LEAF VEGETABLES WERE MORE ADAPTABLE FOR GROWING UNDER NET. THESE INCLUDE POPULAR LOCAL VARIETIES SUCH AS FLOWERING CABBAGE, WHITE CABBAGE, CHINESE KALE, LEAF MUSTARDS AND SPINACH WHICH ARE READY FOR HARVEST IN ABOUT 50 DAYS.

Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-23314† IN ADVERSE

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