XN000022-1987-05-06 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1987

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COMMITTEE TO STUDY AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ADVOCATED *****

THE GOVERNMENT WAS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) URGED TO SET UP AN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN HONG KONG.

THE CALL WAS MADE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON PRIMARY INDUSTRIES.

MR TAM SAID THERE WAS NO REASON WHY AGRICULTURE AS AN INDUSTRY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FADE OUT AND IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT REGARD IT AS A +TWILIGHT INDUSTRY+ IN THE FIRST PLACE.

+ACCORDING TO SOME COMMENTATORS, THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG IS UNDERGOING A PERIOD OF CHANGE AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE, THE INTRODUCTION OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, EVEN TO THE EXTENT OF APPLYING BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES, AND THE WAY IN WHICH THE LOCAL INDUSTRY CAN BE MADE TO COMPLEMENT RATHER THAN COMPETE WITH AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA.

+THESE ARE PROBLEMS WHICH I FEEL DESERVE OUR CAREFUL

SCRUTINY AND SOME HARD THINKING, HE SAID.

HE SAID HE DID NOT AGREE WITH THE GOVERNMENT THAT AGRICULTURE WAS OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE TO THE ECONOMY OF HONG KONG THAT FARMLAND MUST GIVE WAY TO OTHER DEVELOPMENTS AND THAT HONG KONG COULD INCREASE

ITS RELIANCE ON CHINA ON THE PROVISION OF FISHERY AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.

ON THE FIRST POINT, HE SAID THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY PLAYED A PART IN LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY HELPING TO MODERATE PRICES, STABILISING THE MARKET AND PRODUCE THE INCENTIVE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE QUALITY OF AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS.

IN ADDITION, STAFF OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT HAD CONFIRMED THAT THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AND RELATED TRADES, SUCH AS THE SUPPLY OF ANIMAL FEED AND MEDICINE AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PROVIDED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND A MEANS OF LIVING FOR NEARLY 200 000 PEOPLE IN HONG KONG.

HE QUESTIONED HOW WE COULD CATER FOR THE LIVELIHOOD OF THESE PEOPLE IF THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY ACTUALLY FELL INTO DECLINE.

IN ALL EVENTS, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED, HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE SECOND POINT, HE SAID THAT DESPITE GOVERNMENT'S FREQUENT ASSERTION ABOUT THE SHORTAGE OF LAND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THERE WERE STATISTICS TO INDICATE THAT FALLOW LAND HAD INCREASED FROM 1 100 HECTARES IN 1954 TO 4 070 HECTARES.

/+FOR THE