XN000022-1977-01-02 — Page 2

2

SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 1977

+ IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THESE CROPS GAVE HIGHER YIELDS OF BETTER QUALITY VEGETABLES THAN THOSE IN THE OPEN FIELD.+

THE PLASTIC NET PROTECTS THE TENDER CROPS BELOW BY TAKING THE BULK OF THE PHYSICAL BATTERING BY RAINDROPS.

THIS ENSURES EVEN SEED GERMINATION AND UNIFORM GROWTH OF SEEDLINGS IN ADVERSE WEATHER. ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF PREVENTING THE DIRECT SHOWERING OF VEGETABLES BY HEAVY RAINFALL IS REDUCTION OF SOIL SURFACE CAKING THAT WEAKENS CROP GROWTH. IT ALSO SCREENS THE CROPS AGAINST PHYSICAL DAMAGE BY STRONG WINDS.

MR. YIP SAID THAT THE NET HOUSE WAS ECONOMICAL. IT COSTS ABOUT ONE DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOT OF COVERED LAND. IT IS ALSO RELATIVELY EASY TO ERECT BY THE FARMERS THEMSELVES.

→IT CAN BE USED IN ANY FARM IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND SO FAR, ONE FARMER IN YUEN LONG IS CULTIVATING VEGETABLES UNDER A NET HOUSE OF 8,000 SQUARE FEET, HE SAID. +THIS NET HOUSE WAS DONATED BY THE VEGETABLE MARKETING ORGANISATION FOR DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES AND HE IS VERY HAPPY TO USE IT FOR INTENSIVE CULTIVATION.+

HE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS CURRENTLY PREPARING TECHNICAL INFORMATION LEAFLETS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO FARMERS TO ENABLE WIDER APPLICATION OF THIS TECHNIQUE.

ON THE SUPPLY OF FRESH VEGETABLES, MR. YIP SAID THAT 45 PER CENT OF THE VEGETABLES CONSUMED BY THE LOCAL POPULATION WAS SUPPLIED BY THE NEW TERRITORIES FARMERS WHILE THE REST WAS

IMPORTED MAINLY FROM CHINA.

HE POINTED OUT THAT VERY OFTEN VEGETABLE SUPPLY WAS INTERRUPTED DURING THE WET OR TYPHOON PERIODS, CAUSING THE PRICE TO SOAR.

HOWEVER, MR. YIP ADDED THAT THIS COULD BE AVOIDED IF A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF FARMERS ADOPTED THE NET HOUSE METHOD.

THE RESULTANT INCREASE IN PRODUCTION WOULD NOT ONLY PREVENT THE PRICE FROM ROCKETTING BUT WOULD ALSO MAKE FARMERS AS WELL AS CONSUMERS HAPPIER, HE SAID,

13