XN000022-1980-02-05 — Page 4

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1980

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NEW DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

MEETS PRIMARY PRODUCERS *****

THE NEW DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES. MR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN WILL PAY A SERIES OF KUNG HEI FAT CHOY VISITS TO PRIMARY PRODUCERS AND RURAL LEADERS.

THE PROGRAMME STARTED TONIGHT WHEN HE ATTENDED A DINNER WITH FARMERS. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A LUNCH WITH FISHERMEN ON FRIDAY (FEBRUARY 8). HE WILL ALSO ATTEND A SERIES OF INFORMAL GATHER INGS WITH RURAL REPRESENTATIVES IN TAI PO AND YUEN LONG DISTRICTS.

HE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED ON THE VISITS BY THE NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DR C.T. WONG- NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, DR H.Y. LEE- NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES, MR ROY CHILVERS- AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS, MR MARTIN LEWIS.

THE CHANGES IN DIRECTORATE LEVEL OF THE DEPARTMENT CAME ABOUT WITH THE RETIREMENT OF MR TED NICHOLS WHO WAS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND THEN DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR 21 YEARS. THE CHANGES WERE EFFECTIVE FROM LAST FRIDAY (FEBRUARY 1).

AT TONIGHT'S DINNER AT YUEN LONG, MR RIDDELL-SWAN TOLD THE FARMERS THAT THE YEAR OF THE GOAT HAD BEEN A GOOD YEAR DESPITE THE PASSAGE OF TYPHOON HOPE AND TYPHOON MAC IN SEPTEMBER.

*FOR VEGETABLE FARMERS THE YEAR WAS MARKED BY GOOD YIELDS AND STEADY PRICES WHICH ENABLED FARMERS TO MAINTAIN THEIR SHARE OF THE LOCAL MARKET DESPITE THE ONGOING LOSS OF GOOD AGRICULTURAL LAND THROUGH INCREASED URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

+1 AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT VEGETABLE FARMERS HAVE BEEN TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE AGRICULTURAL LOAN FUNDS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO PURCHASE LABOUR SAVING DEVICES, SUCH AS ROTARY CULTIVATORS AND SPRINKLER IRRIGATION SYSTEMS,+ SAID MR RIDDELL-SWAN.

HE ALSO CONGRATULATED THREE FARMERS, MR LEUNG CHIK, MR TANG TUNG-CHIU, AND MR TANG CHE-LEUNG FOR BEING AWARDED BADGES OF HONOUR BY THE QUEEN.

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