ENG-1976 — Page 82

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

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to the local primary production capacity, both actual and potential. New food supply sources are also examined. Detailed surveys and studies are carried out on the distribution systems, and on the dynamics of the wholesale marketing of foodstuffs, so that long term development decisions can be planned.

The department encourages optimum land utilisation. It provides technical, development and advisory services to farmers. It manages large areas of open country- side, being responsible for soil and water conservation, fire fighting, woodland manage- ment, landscape repair, and the development of recreational services for the public. The department also deals with the economic, social and technological development of the Hong Kong fishing industry. It handles the administrative organisation and supervision of co-operative societies of all types and supervises credit unions.

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Research programmes of the department extend to and include crop and animal husbandry as well as fisheries. On government farms, experiments are conducted to improve the quality and yield per acre of vegetables, flowers and fruit. The department advises livestock farmers on modern methods of animal production and assists them in the supply of improved and exotic breeds of pigs and poultry, and also provides an artificial insemination service for pigs.

Fisheries research is conducted from a station in Aberdeen and from two sub- stations, on Kat O Island and at Au Tau. The main station is concerned with the fishery surveys in the northern sector of the South China Sea, and with marine pollution surveys in Hong Kong waters. During the year the two sub-stations con- tinued investigations into production systems for inland and marine fish culture development.

Development

Development services are provided for the agricultural and fishing industries. Due primarily to rising labour costs, the main development in the agricultural industry is the increasing interest which farmers show in the use of pre-emergence herbicides for weed control in market garden crops, and the use of small farm machines and sprinkler irrigation. At the end of 1976 there were 1,950 rotary cultivators and 950 sprinkler units in use on vegetable farms.

Hong Kong is divided into three districts for agricultural development. Each district is administered by a senior field officer, supported by teams of specialists trained to deal with problems in farming and agricultural pollution and with co- operative societies. Close contact with the farming community and liaison with local co-operative societies and rural associations is maintained by farm advisers. Both credit facilities and technical advice are available through the development service.

In the rural development programme in 1976, more than 3,000 farmers attended farm discussion groups led by professional and technical officers from the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. Some 80 field demonstrations of chemical weed control were conducted in the main vegetable growing areas for the benefit of farmers. Officers also made more than 159,000 visits to farmers and co-operative societies, and many farmers visited government experimental farms and farming projects.