XN000022-1983-06-29 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1983

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CHICKEN FARMERS TO GET AID

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CHICKEN FARMERS AFFECTED BY THE RECENT PUBLICITY ON THE ILL- EFFECTS OF USING SYNTHETIC HORMONES IN CHICKEN RAISING, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TOLD THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS BY THE HON CHARLES YEUNG, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON PIERS JACOBS SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT STOP SHORT AT THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE +THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WILL START INTENSIVE TRAINING COURSES IN SAFE METHODS OF INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY.

HE SAID THAT THE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BE PROVIDED TOGETHER WITH THE COURSES OF ACTION ANNOUNCED ON JUNE 8 ON THE USE OF HEXOESTROL AND THE CONTROL OF IMPORTS OF MEAT TREATED WITH THIS SUBSTANCE WOULD FULLY REVIVE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE POULTRY INDUSTRY,

+ INDEED, THERE ARE SOME SIGNS ALREADY THAT CONFIDENCE IS BEING RESTORED,+ MR JACOBS SAID.

THE LOSS AS AT JUNE 26, SUFFERED BY CHICKEN FARMS HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT $17 MILLION, HE SAID, ADDING IN GIVING THIS FIGURE I AM AWARE THAT DIFFERENT SUMS HAVE BEEN MENTIONED. THE DISCREPANCY IS PROBABLY DUE TO DIFFERENT BASES OF CALCULATION.

HE SAID THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT HAD RECEIVED 1 520 APPLICATIONS FROM CHICKEN FARMERS FOR LOANS AND, TO MEET THEM, THE KADOOR IE AGRICULTURAL AID LOAN FUND AND THE J.E. JOSEPH TRUST FUND WILL BE USED FOR GRANTING LOANS TO THOSE WHO MEET THE ESTABLISHED CRITERIA.

ALSO, WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE MARKETING ADVISORY BOARD, THE VEGETABLE MARKETING ORGANISATION WOULD BE MAKING AVAILABLE A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF ITS ACCUMULATED SURPLUSES FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.

+THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY STARTED PROCESSING APPLICATIONS AS A MATTER OF URGENCY. THE LOANS WILL BE MADE AT FAVOURABLE INTEREST RATES, HE POINTED OUT.

BUT HE EMPHASISED THAT THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS COMPENSATION FOR FARMERS' LOSSES -- +THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE LOANS IS TO HELP THE LOCAL POULTRY INDUSTRY REGAIN ITS POSITION AND TO DEVELOP SAFE METHODS OF PRODUCTION.+

HE ADDEDI +WITH AN ESTIMATED TOTAL TURNOVER OF OVER $400 MILLION IN 1982, THE LOCAL CHICKEN REARING INDUSTRY IS A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. FURTHERMORE, IT IS IN THE COMMUNITY'S INTEREST TO HAVE A DEGREE OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN MAJOR FOODSTUFFS.+

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