XN000022-1982-03-12 — Page 11

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FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1982

LOSS OF VEGETABLE LAND TO DEVELOPMENT

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LAND UNDER VEGETABLE CULTIVATION IS BEING LOST TO DEVELOPMENT AT AN ALARMING RATE, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN, SAID THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING.

HE SAID THAT DURING THE PAST 10 YEARS MORE THAN 1 000 HECTARES OF VEGETABLE LAND WERE LOST.

AND LAST YEAR ALONE, 260 HECTARES OR NINE PER CENT OF ALL THE LAND UNDER VEGETABLE CULTIVATION WERE LOST.

MR RIDDELL-SWAN WAS SPEAKING AT AN INAUGURATION DINNER OF THE 30TH TERM COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERATION OF VEGETABLE MARKETING CO-OPERATIVES SOCIETIES.

ONE OF THE GREATEST PROBLEMS FACING THE INDUSTRY WAS THE INCREASING ALIENATION OF LAND SUITABLE FOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, HE SAID.

+UNDER HONG KONG CONDITIONS, SUCH LOSS OF LAND IS INEVITABLE, BUT EVERY EFFORT MUST BE MADE TO COUNTERACT THE EFFECT OF THIS LOSS BY ENSURING THAT WHEREVER POSSIBLE PRIME AGRICULTURAL LAND IS NOT ALIENATED UNLESS THERE IS NO POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE, HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, THE NEW TERRITORIES HAD CHANGED FROM A QUIET RURAL HINTERLAND FOR A CITY OF SOME

2 000 000 PEOPLE TO A BUSY, BUSTLING SUBURBAN AREA WITH MODERN NEW TOWNS OFFERING NEW HOMES TO AN EVER-EXPANDING MASSIVE URBAN POPULATION OF 5 250 000.

→THE EFFECT OF THIS CHANGE ON THE RURAL SCENE HAS BEEN IMMENSE AND HAS BEEN MOST MARKED IN THE REPLACEMENT OF EXTENSIVE RICE CULTIVATION WITH VEGETABLE PRODUCTION OF EVER-INCREASING INTENSITY, + MR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID.

IN 1952 THE NEW TERRITORIES PRODUCED NEARLY 30 000 METRIC TONS OF RICE WHEREAS LAST YEAR ONLY 30 METRIC TONS WERE PRODUCED.

DURING THIS PERIOD, VEGETABLE PRODUCTION ROSE FROM 46 000 METRIC TONS TO 180 000 METRIC TONS, OR ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TOTAL FRESH VEGETABLE NEEDS.

MR RIDDELL-SWAN CALLED FOR A CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO BRING BACK INTO CULTIVATION ALL LAND SUITABLE FOR AGRICULTURE WHICH IS NOW LYING FALLOW.

HE ASKED THE FARMERS TO STRIVE FOR EVER-INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY FROM THE LAND AVAILABLE THROUGH THE USE OF THE MOST MODERN TECHNIQUES WITH UP-TO-DATE EQUIPMENT AND BY ADOPTING THE MOST EFFICIENT AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES.

THE AGRICULTURE