XN000022-1991-07-06 — Page 11

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SATURDAY, JULY 6, 1991

ON VEGETABLE MARKETING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, HE SAID THEY CONTINUED TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE MARKETING OF VEGETABLES. LAST YEAR, THE PRODUCTION OF LOCAL VEGETABLES WAS 112,000 TONNES AMOUNTING TO $294 MILLION.

"OF THE 58,000 TONNES OF LOCALLY PRODUCED VEGETABLES MARKETED THROUGH THE VEGETABLE MARKETING ORGANISATION LAST YEAR, 40 PER CENT CAME FROM THE 27 REGISTERED VEGETABLE MARKETING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES WHICH, THROUGH THEIR FEDERATION, HAVE WORKED HARMONIOUSLY AND CO-OPERATIVELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND THE MARKET MANAGEMENT IN IMPROVING AVEGETABLE PRODUCTION AND MARKETING SERVICES.

סין'

THE

IN THIS CONNECTION, I WISH

PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE ΤΟ THE FEDERATION AND ITS MEMBER SOCIETIES FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE MEASURES IMPLEMENTED BY THE MARKET MANAGEMENT, IN PARTICULAR PESTICIDE-RESI DUE MONITORING SCHEME, THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF UP-MARKET EXOTIC VEGETABLES, IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THEIR OPERATIONAL AREAS," DR LEE SAID.

HE NOTED THAT THE

FEDERATION ALSO MAKE FULL USE OF THE VOCATION TRAINING ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

HE SAID: "UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE FEDERATION AND THE VEGETABLE MARKETING ORGANISATION, 16 FARMERS VISITED CALIFORNIA IN EARLY JUNE THIS YEAR то GAIN FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF VEGETABLE CULTIVATION AND MARKETING AND TO EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION WITH THEIR OVERSEAS COUNTERPARTS.

CREDIT

REFERRING ΤΟ THE 23 PIC RAISING AND AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, DR LEE SAID THEY CONTINUED TO PLAY AN ACTIVE PART IN PROMOTING LOCAL PIG PRODUCTION BY HELPING THEIR MEMBERS TO. UPGRADE BREEDING STOCK AND TO OBTAIN THE LATEST TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON MODERN PIG PRODUCTION.

"THE FEDERATION OF PIG RAISING

CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, APART FROM BEING ACTIVE IN SOLICITING AND REFLECTING MEMBERS' VIEWS TO GOVERNMENT ON THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE LOCAL PIG INDUSTRY, HAS MAINTAINED ITS MOMENTUM IN RUNNING THE BULK PURCHASE SCHEME OF PIG FEED AND QUALITY BREEDING STOCK FROM OVERSEAS," HE ADDED.

ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURAL CREDIT, HE POINTED OUT THAT IN 1990/91, 47 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL OF $8.9 MILLION LENT ΤΟ FARMERS FROM VARIOUS LOAN FUNDS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT WERE CHANNELLED THROUGH THESE FARMERS' CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES.

DR LEE ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE TWO AGRICULTURAL FEDERATIONS FOR THEIR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESSFUL ORGANISATION OF THE "HONG KONG FARMERS' FESTIVAL AND TAI LUNG FARM OPEN DAY" LAST DECEMBER AND THE "INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AND TRAINING COURSE ON MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN THE TREATMENT AND RECYCLING OF LIVESTOCK WASTE" EARLIER IN MAY.

TURNING TO THE FISHERIES SECTOR, HE SAID LAST YEAR, LANDINGS AT THE FISH MARKETS OF THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION AMOUNTED ΤΟ 67,000 TONNES, AND THEIR VALUE AMOUNTED TO $585 MILLION.

/"TO DATE,