ENG-2009 — Page 246

186 Food Safety, Environmental Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries

Primary Production

Hong Kong's agriculture and fisheries industries are relatively small. They do not receive Government subsidies, but are assisted by the Government in improving the quality of their output, their productivity and competitiveness.

The combined output of the two industries in 2009 was worth $2.7 billion. Vegetables' share of the total consumption was 3 per cent; cut flowers, 34 per cent; live pigs, 6 per cent; live poultry, 54 per cent; freshwater fish, 4 per cent; and local seafood, 30 per cent. Some 15 400 people were employed directly in these industries in 2009.

Agricultural Industry

Hong Kong's agricultural industry focuses mainly on producing quality fresh food crops through intensive land use. Farming is done mostly in the New Territories, but only 2 per cent of New Territories land is being used for growing crops, comprising mainly vegetables and cut flowers. Their combined output in 2009 was valued at about $227 million. Pigs and poultry are the principal animals reared for food. In 2009, locally reared pigs earned about $145 million, while poultry, including chickens and chicken eggs, earned about $171 million.

To stay in business, Hong Kong's agricultural industry has to adapt to fast changing market trends as it is constrained by the limited supply of farm land and labour, competition from imports, high cost of maintaining environmental standards. and calls for improved farm hygiene and safe produce.

The AFCD encourages crop farmers to tap niche markets and to sharpen their competitiveness by cultivating safe, good quality vegetables. The department works with local organic farming groups and the Vegetable Marketing Organisation to promote organic farming and to develop a market for organic vegetables.

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The department provides an organic farming support service to some 135 farms located on about 58 hectares of land. The AFCD also promotes the use of greenhouse technology for intensive high-value crop production. During the year, three improved varieties of vegetable and fruit cabbage, little yellow flesh water melon and orange flesh rock melon - were introduced to farmers for cultivation in Hong Kong. The voluntary Accredited Farm Scheme managed by the AFCD and the Vegetable Marketing Organisation have been providing a stable supply of high. quality and safe vegetables since 1994. A total of 270 farms, spread over 2 102 hectares of land, have been accredited under the scheme so far.

Fisheries Industry

Fresh fish is one of Hong Kong's most important primary products. In 2009, fish caught and fish reared in ponds and floating cages at sea amounted to about 163 000 tonnes. Their combined value was $2.18 billion.

Hong Kong's fishing fleet consists of some 3 660 vessels, manned by about 7 600 local fishermen and 5 000 Mainland deckhands. The predominant fishing. method is trawling, which accounted for 83 per cent of fish caught, weighing about