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Agricultural study tour departs for Australia tomorrow
A 23-member local agricultural delegation will depart for Australia and New Zealand tomorrow (Tuesday) to study farming techniques and wholesale marketing systems there.
The study tour is organised jointly by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFD), Vegetable Marketing Organisation and Federation of Vegetable Marketing Co- operative Societies Ltd.
To mark the occasion, AFD's Director, Dr Lawrence Lee presented a banner to the study group's leader, Mr Yung Tin-tack at a ceremony held at its headquarters this (Monday) morning.
Dr Lee said: "The objective of the annual event since 1977 was to enable local farmers to study cultivation methods and wholesale marketing for agricultural products in advanced countries as well as to share farming experience with their overseas counterparts."
Countries visited by previous study tours include Japan, United States, Australia, Israel, Britain and Holland, he said.
On this year's programme, Dr Lee pointed out that the delegation would visit farms, markets and agricultural research institutes in several cities in Australia and New Zealand including Brisbane and Wellington.
Major items to be studied will include vegetable seed selection and cultivation techniques, pest and disease control, post-harvest processing and packaging, as well as vegetable wholesale market facilities and operation.
He hoped that group members would make an effort to learn more about advanced agricultural production and wholesaling techniques and systems during their visit with a view to promoting Hong Kong's agricultural development.
Dr Lee also took the opportunity to thank the Queensland Government Office in Hong Kong and New Zealand's Horowhenua Growers Association for their assistance in making the study tour possible.
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The study group is expected to return to Hong Kong on April 29.
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