ENG-1997 — Page 179

CHAPTER 9

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

AGRICULTURE is a comparatively small sector in Hong Kong. Farming is largely undertaken on the urban fringes and just 2.9 per cent of the land area is under cultivation. In 1997, local production accounted for 13 per cent of vegetables, 19 per cent of live poultry, 19 per cent of live pigs, 12 per cent of freshwater fish and 69 per cent of all live and fresh marine fish consumed.

Each day, Hong Kong people consume about 950 tonnes of rice, 1 330 tonnes of vegetables, 6 700 pigs, 170 head of cattle, 240 tonnes of poultry, 470 tonnes of fish and 1900 tonnes of fruit. About 35 per cent of Hong Kong's food requirements is imported from the mainland of China.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government does not give direct subsidies to the local agricultural and fisheries industries or attempt to protect them from the free operation of market forces. It does, however, provide a variety of infrastructural and technical support services to facilitate local production.

Being responsible for the implementation of government policies on agriculture and fisheries, the Agriculture and Fisheries Department provides infrastructural support services including wholesale marketing facilities, irrigation and drainage works, technical and development advice, administration of agricultural and fisheries loan funds, and development programmes such as the accredited farm scheme, the agricultural land rehabilitation scheme, and the moist pellet feed scheme for mariculture. Local production statistics are given at Appendix 26.

The Agricultural Industry

Local agriculture is directed towards the production of high quality fresh food through intensive land use. The most common crops cultivated are leafy vegetables and high-value cut flowers. Production was valued at about $427 million. Pigs and poultry are the principal animals reared for food. The value of locally-produced pigs in 1997 amounted to $656 million and that of poultry, including chickens, ducks, pigeons and quail, amounted to $293 million.

Agricultural Development

Strong competition from imports, land and labour constraints, and progressive implementation of environmental pollution controls, have forced the agricultural sector to modernise its farming methods. The department has been researching modern techniques suitable for application in Hong Kong.

To increase the competitiveness and value of local produce, farmers are encouraged to cultivate premium vegetables and to introduce good quality breeding stocks of pigs

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