XN000022-1990-07-07 — Page 6

SATURDAY, JULY 7, 1990

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DIRECTOR OF AFD PRAISES LOCAL FARMERS

THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE, TODAY (SATURDAY) COMMENDED FARMERS FOR THE IMPORTANT ROLE THEY PLAYED AND THEIR READINESS IN ADOPTING NEW TECHNIQUES.

SPEAKING AT THE DINNER RECEPTION TO CELEBRATE THE 68TH INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE DAY, DR LEE PRAISED THE FEDERATION OF VEGETABLES MARKETING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT TO THE MARKET MANAGEMENT IN INTRODUCING THE PESTICIDE-RESIDUE MONITORING SCHEME.

HE ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR KEEN PARTICIPATION IN PROJECTS TO PROMOTE NEW CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES SUCH AS THE MASS SEEDLING PRODUCTION METHOD AND CULTIVATION OF EXOTIC VEGETABLES, AS WELL AS THEIR EFFORT IN UNDERTAKING AND CO-ORDINATING PROJECTS то IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THEIR OWN AREA.

"I AM PLEASED TO NOTE THAT ALL THESE PROJECTS WERE HIGHLY APPRECIATED BY THE FARMERS CONCERNED, HE SAID.

DR LEE SAID UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE FEDERATION AND THE VEGETABLES MARKETING ORGANISATION, 17 FARMERS HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED A STUDY VISIT TO EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

TO GAIN FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF VEGETABLE CULTIVATION AND MARKETING AND TO EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION WITH THEIR OVERSEAS COUNTERPARTS.

REFERRING TO THE 24 PIG RAISING AND AGRICULTURAL CREDIT CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, DR LEE SAID THEY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROMOTING LOCAL PIG PRODUCTION BY HELPING THEIR MEMBERS ΤΟ UPGRADE BREEDING STOCK AND TO OBTAIN THE LATEST TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON MODERN PIG PRODUCTION.

DR LEE ALSO POINTED OUT THE IMPORTANT ROLE THE FARMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES CONTINUED TO PLAY IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURAL CREDIT.

"DURING 1989-90, 36 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL $11.6 MILLION ISSUED AS LOANS TO FARMERS FROM THE VARIOUS LOAN FUNDS ADMINISTRATED BY THE DEPARTMENT WAS CHANNELLED THROUGH THESE SOCIETIES," HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE FISH FARMERS, DR LEE SAID IN THE PAST YEAR FISHERMEN ENJOYED FAVOURABLE WEATHER AND BENEFITTED FROM SATISFACTORY PRICES FOR THEIR CATCHES.

"LANDINGS MADE BY FISHERMEN IN 1989 AT THE FISH MARKETS OF THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION (FMO) AMOUNTED TO 74,392 TONNES AND VALUED AT $618 MILLION.

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"ALTHOUGH THE AMOUNT OF LANDINGS HAS RECORDED A SLIGHT DECREASE OF ABOUT TWO PER CENT, THE VALUE HAS SHOWN A MODERATE INCREASE FIVE PER CENT OVER THE AMOUNTS IN 1988, HE SAID.

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/DR LEE