XN000022-1987-05-06 — Page 10

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WEDNE DAY, MAY 6, 1987

+AS A RESULT, OUR FISHERMEN HAVE BETTER NAVIGATION AIDS ENGINES AND STORAGE EQUIPMENT WHICH ENABLE THEM TO EXPLORE NEW FISHING GROUNDS FURTHER AWAY FROM BASE IN GREATER SPEED AND SAFETY, HE SAID.

BUT DESPITE THE CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT OF THE LOCAL FISHING

ITS POTENTIALS HAD NOT YET BEEN FULLY EXPLOITED, HE

INDUSTRY, ADDED.

HE SAID THAT SINCE LOCAL FISHERMEN WERE NOW BETTER TRAINED AND EDUCATED AND MORE EXPERIENCED WITH FISHING OVERSEAS, THEY SHOULD FORM A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

GIVEN ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN THE USE OF SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF LONG-RANGE SAILING, THIS CORE OF PROFESSIONALS COULD BECOME THE PIONEERS OF A NEW INDUSTRY.

MR WONG SAID THAT HONG KONG SHOULD AIM AT LARGE SCALE CATCHES FOR EXPORT.

+TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND COMPETITIVENESS, OUR FISHING FLEETS SHOULD DEVELOP GRADUALLY INTO A SELF-CONTAINED PRODUCTION LINE TURNING THEIR CATCHES INTO TINNED GOODS OR DEEP FROZEN PRODUCTS FOR THE OVERSEAS MARKET, HE SAID.

HE NOTED THAT SUCH OPERATIONS WOULD INEVITABLY REQUIRE HEAVY CAPITAL INVESTMENT. THIS NEW AND UNEXPLORED INDUSTRY PROVIDED A FRESH OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTORS, HE ADDED.

TO PROVIDE AN INITIAL IMPETUS, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONSIDER PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF LOW-INTEREST LOANS TO STIMULATE PARTICIPATION BY INVESTORS.

+IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF GOVERNMENT COULD PROVIDE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE TO THE FISHING COMMUNTIY ON THE OPERATIONAL AND MARKETING ASPECTS OF THEIR TRADE,+ HE SAID.

TURNING TO AGRICULTURE, MR WONG SAID IT WAS HIS FIRM BELIEF THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO TURN FAMILY OPERATIONS INTO ENTERPRISING CORPORATIONS TO PRODUCE HIGH VALUE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.

+1 ALSO CONSIDER IT ESSENTIAL THAT MODERN TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE EMPLOYED TO YIELD BETTER QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY, HE SAID.

MR WONG THEREFORE AGREED ENTIRELY WITH OTHER AGRICULTURAL EXPERTS THAT A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO LOOK INTO POSSIBLE WAYS OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.

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