XN000022-1987-05-06 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1987

HOWEVER, HE FELT THAT A POLICY CHANGE AS MAJOR AS THIS SHOULD NOT BE MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND CALLED FOR THE SETTING UP OF A POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE.

MR WONG POINTED OUT THAT THE SIGNIFICANT PRODUCTION RATES AND PERCENTAGES IN VEGETABLES, PIGS, POULTRY AND MARINE FISH WERE NOT DUE TO A RIGID AND PROTECTIONIST MARKET SHARE ALLOCATED TO LOCAL PRODUCERS.

HE STRESSED THAT THESE LOCAL PRODUCTS COMPETED IN THE OPEN MARKET WITH IMPORTS AND THE PRODUCTION RATES AND PERCENTAGES WERE THEREFORE REAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF LOCAL PRODUCERS.

REFERRING TO GOVERNMENT'S SUBSIDIES TO THE INDUSTRIES, MR WONG SAID THEY WERE VERY MEAGRE.

HE NOTED THAT IN THE 1987-88 ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE, AN AMOUNT OF $78.8 MILLION HAD BEEN APPROVED FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT FOR ALL REGULATORY EXPENDITURE EXCLUDING COUNTRY PARK EXPENDITURE, WHILE THE CORRESPONDING ACTUAL FIGURE FOR 1985-86 WAS $75.2 MILLION.

BY COMPARISON, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SUBVENTIONS TO THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND THE PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL FOR THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD WOULD BE $232 MILLION AND $56.7 MILLION RESPECTIVELY, WHILE THE CORRESPONDING ACTUAL FIGURE FOR 1985-86 WERE $211.8 MILLION AND $36.9 MILLION RESPECTIVELY.

MR WONG ALSO ATTACHED AS AN APPENDIX TO HIS SPEECH HIS VIEWS ON MARICULTURE IN HONG KONG.

HE POINTED OUT THAT STEADY PROGRESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARICULTURE HAD BEEN ACHIEVED IN RECENT YEARS AND SAID ITS EXISTENCE AND VALUE SHOULD BE RECOGNISED.

HE SAID HE HOPED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER ADOPTING FAIR AND REASONABLE PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR THE INDUSTRY IN VIEW OF ITS POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP FURTHER.

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