XN000022-1988-12-02 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1988

"IN 1988, THE VALUE OF LIVE PIGS,

LIVE POULTRY AND FRESH VEGETABLES PRODUCED BY LOCAL FARMERS IS ESTIMATED TO EXCEED #1.4 BILLION," SHE SAID.

THE OTHER OFFICIATING GUEST AT THE FUNCTION WAS THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE.

—

THE JOINT FEDERATION IS A BODY FORMED BY THE THREE MAJOR AGRICULTURAL BODIES IN HONG KONG

THE NEW TERRITORIES CHICKEN BREEDERS ASSOCIATION, THE FEDERATION OF VEGETABLE MARKETING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES AND THE FEDERATION OF PIG RAISING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES OF HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

ITS MEMBERSHIP COMPRISES 380 MAJOR CHICKEN FARMS WITH OVER 1,500 CHICKEN FARMERS, 26 VEGETABLE MARKETING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES GROUPING SOME 9,100 VEGETABLE FARMERS, AND 22 PIG-RAISING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES GROUPING SOME 1,900 PIG FARMERS.

AS

MRS CHAN DESCRIBED THE FORMATION OF THE JOINT FEDERATION THE UNIFICATION OF THE THREE MAJOR BODIES REPRESENTING DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE LOCAL AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.

SHE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE JOINT FEDERATION WOULD BE ABLE TO POOL THE RESOURCES AND EXPERIENCE OF VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL SECTORS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE PRIMARY PRODUCTION INDUSTRY.

MRS CHAN ALSO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AND THE VEGETABLE MARKETING ORGANISATION, HAD BEEN PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES TO HELP FARMERS IN INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY AND IN MARKETING THEIR PRODUCE.

THESE INCLUDED ADVISORY SERVICES ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND BREEDING, THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF LIVESTOCK DISEASES, PEST CONTROL IN CROPS, IMPROVEMENTS IN IRRIGATION FACILITIES, LOW-INTEREST LOANS AND WHOLESALE MARKETING SERVICES FOR VEGETABLE FARMERS.

INCREASE IN TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS

* *

THE TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS UNIT (TCU) OF THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 2,960 COMPLAINTS QUARTER OF 1988-89.

TRANSPORT ADVISORY DURING THE SECOND

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TCU SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT COMPARED THE FIGURE OF 2,278 RECORDED IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER, THERE WAS PER CENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS.

WITH

A 30

/COMPLAINTS WERE