Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ10: Local farming industry development
Following is a question by the Hon Steven Ho Chun-yin and a written
reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the
Legislative Council today (June 26):
Question:
According to statistics of the Government, the total area of
agricultural lands in Hong Kong has been decreasing in the past 16 years
while abandoned and fallow agricultural lands have all along accounted
for about 70% of agricultural lands in total in recent years. On the
other hand, the 2013 Policy Address has not put forward any new policy
to facilitate agricultural development. Some members of the public have
relayed to me that there are now young people who wish to join the
agriculture industry and farmers (whose land had been resumed by the
Government for land development) who wish to rejoin it, but they are
unable to find suitable agricultural land. They have also pointed out
that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department is currently
responsible for administering three loan funds with a total accumulated
deposit standing at $45 million, and the Agricultural Development Fund
administered by the Vegetable Marketing Organization has about $200
million available. Yet, such funds have not been able to help enhance
the agricultural development in Hong Kong. Regarding the agricultural
development in Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the area of the agricultural lands resumed by the Government for
various development projects, the respective areas of active and
abandoned agricultural lands at the time of land resumption, as well as
the number of farmers affected by land resumption (set out in the
table), in each of the past five years; the measures taken by the
Government to help those affected farmers;
(b) whether the Government had zoned any land as agricultural land in
the past three years to promote agricultural development; if it had, of
the area of new agricultural land; if not, the reasons for that;
(c) whether the Government has considered how to optimise the use of the
existing abandoned and fallow agricultural lands, landfills, idle lands
and lands along the shore of outlying islands (e.g. establishing an
agricultural research centre to encourage innovative agricultural
development), and further build up the reputation of the brand of local
agricultural produce as being safe and reliable; if it has considered,
of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(d) whether the Government will draw reference from the modes of
sustainable development which combines "ecology, living and production"
in neighbouring regions of Hong Kong (such as Taiwan), and introduce
measures to develop ecological farms which combine organic farming with
green and leisure farming; if it will, of the details; if not, the
reasons for that;
(e) whether the Government will consider enhancing the existing loans
and development funds relating to the agriculture industry, or set up an
agriculture industry sustainable development fund so as to promote the
sustainable development of the agriculture industry; if it will, of the
details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(f) whether the Government has formulated any policy to facilitate the
application of new agricultural technologies in the agriculture industry
in Hong Kong, and encourage the development of new trades of the
agriculture industry; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for
that, and whether relevant policies will be formulated?
Reply:
President,
It is the Government's existing policy to facilitate agricultural
development through the provision of basic infrastructure, technical
support and low-interest loans to farmers. At the same time, we make
full use of the Agricultural Development Fund under the Vegetable
Marketing Organisation (VMO) to facilitate the further development of
local agriculture, enhance the productivity and business viability of
the industry, and develop modern and environment-friendly farming
technologies with emphasis on preservation of natural resources and the
agricultural ecology. This will help farmers produce good quality and
high-value agricultural products that are safe for consumption and
contribute to the sustainable development of the industry.
Under this policy, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department (AFCD) actively encourages local farmers to develop organic
farming and gives them the necessary support. Through the Organic
Farming Support Service, it provides advice and technical support for
those farmers who wish to switch to organic farming from traditional
farming. In addition, the AFCD promotes the production and sale of local
organic agricultural products jointly with the VMO and the Federation of
Vegetable Marketing Co-operative Societies, Ltd. As at the end of May
2013, 217 farms are participating in the Organic Farming Support
Service, producing about five tonnes of organic agricultural products
each day for the local market. At present, there are more than 37 retail
outlets for organic vegetable under the VMO marketing network. Besides,
the AFCD supports the Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre in its
endeavours to educate the public on organic farming and promote the
certification of organic products.
The AFCD organises from time to time talks and on-farm demonstrations
for farmers, briefing them on improved varieties of agricultural
products and new farming techniques. Quality produce developed in recent
years includes red flesh rock melon, seedless water melon, yellow flesh
water melon, long horn pepper, round eggplant, potato and organic
strawberry, etc.
The Government has also actively assisted the industry in developing
quality brand names. At present, 265 vegetable farms in the territory
have participated in the Accredited Farm Scheme. The Scheme aims at
promoting good horticultural practice and environment-friendly
production, and encouraging integrated pest management and the proper
and safe use of pesticides. Farm inspections are conducted to ensure
steady production of quality vegetables that are safe for consumption.
The AFCD helps the industry set up weekend farmers' markets and
organises large-scale carnivals, such as the annual FarmFest which
attracts over 100 participating local farmers and fishermen and more
than 100 000 visitors every year. These events have helped showcase
local agricultural and fishery products and promote local brand names.
Moreover, the VMO set up in 1988-89 the Agricultural Development Fund
with funding derived from its operating profits. The Fund enables the
AFCD and the farming industry to launch agricultural development
programmes. Apart from the above-mentioned programmes and activities,
examples include the "Controlled Environment Agriculture and Hydroponic"
technology which has recently been introduced and is being promoted for
use in local farming. Between 2008 and 2012, the Fund provided about
$140 million for various projects. About $170 million is currently
available under the Fund.
The AFCD is also administering three loan funds (including the Kadoorie
Agriculture Aid Loan Fund, J. E. Joseph Trust Fund and Vegetable
Marketing Organisation Loan Fund) which provide loans to farmers for
farm development and operation. The total accumulated deposit under the
three funds now amounts to over $47 million. These funds are noted for
their user-friendly application procedures, low interest rates, the
availability of unsecure loans up to $130,000 and their flexible
repayment period. Between 2008 and 2012, loans of over $42 million were
offered to 411 farmers under the three funds.
The Government will carry on with its efforts on the above fronts to
support the sustainable development of the local farming industry.
My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(a) According to the records of the Lands Department (LandsD), over the
past five years, about 107 hectares of private agricultural land (i.e.
private land classified for agricultural use as revealed by the relevant
records registered with the Land Registry) in the New Territories were
resumed by the Government for various public works projects. The
relevant area of land resumed was about 56 hectares (2008), 2 hectares
(2009), 29 hectares (2010), 7 hectares (2011) and 13 hectares (2012)
respectively. LandsD does not have information concerning the
agricultural activities on such agricultural land resumed.
Rehabilitation allowance is payable to genuine farmers (assessed by the
AFCD) who are affected by land resumption for public purpose in the New
Territories and eligible for public housing but who opt to continue
farming elsewhere and give up their priority to public housing. In
addition, under the existing policy, affected and eligible farmers may
apply for other types of ex-gratia allowances provided for genuine
farmers. These allowances include crop compensation, disturbance
allowance for cultivators, allowance for pig and poultry farmers,
allowance for qualified farm structures on private land, and allowance
for miscellaneous permanent improvements to farms. Over the past five
years, LandsD offered the above allowances to a total of 3 101 farmers.
The relevant number of farmers was 1 280 (2008), 604 (2009), 593 (2010),
235 (2011) and 389 (2012) respectively.
(b) In preparing statutory plans (including outline zoning plans and
development permission area plans), Planning Department will take into
account the views of relevant government departments, including those of
the AFCD, with a view to designating land suitable for agricultural use
under the "Agriculture" ("AGR") zone. In 2010, a total of 3 050 hectares
of land in the New Territories fell under the "AGR" zone. In the past
three years, the area of land zoned "AGR" has increased from 3 050
hectares to 3 278 hectares. The newly increased land zoned "AGR" is
mainly located in areas covered by the five statutory plans relating to
the Closed Area. It should be noted that there may still be some
privately owned agricultural land that exists outside statutory plans or
within Country Parks, and that "Agricultural Use" is always permitted in
other land-use zonings such as "Village Type Development", "Green Belt"
and "Conservation Area". As such, the above figures, which only give the
total area of land bearing the "AGR" zone on statutory plans, do not
represent the area of all the land that may be used for agricultural
purposes in the territory.
(c) At present, of the 3 278 hectares of land zoned as "Agriculture",
nearly 70% are privately owned. Whether the land will be used for
agricultural production is the decision of the landowners. As for those
people who would like to engage in agricultural production, including
those farmers being affected by land resumption who opt to continue
farming elsewhere as referred to in (a) above, the Government will, in
the interest of sustaining the development of the local agriculture
industry, support them through the provision of infrastructure,
technical support and low-interest loans. For details, please refer to
the first six paragraphs of this reply. In addition, to assist farmers
who wish to engage or re-engage in farming, the AFCD serves as a
facilitator by matching prospective tenants with landowners who intend
to rent out their agricultural land. The farmers and landowners may
enter into tenancy agreements themselves after negotiations. Ultimately
it is for the landowners to decide whether or not to rent out their land
for agricultural use. Over the past five years (from 2008 to 2012), the
AFCD assisted 74 farmers in identifying land for agricultural
rehabilitation, involving a total area of about 14 hectares.
(d) The pursuit of a healthy lifestyle in recent years has been such a
rising trend that more and more farms are now open to public visits.
These farms have evolved from traditional ones solely engaged in
agricultural production to leisure farms serving multiple purposes of
production, recreation and education. In keeping with such developments,
the AFCD has published and distributed, on a yearly basis since 2010, "A
Guide to Hong Kong Leisure Farms" which provides information on about
120 leisure farms. An interactive webpage (fedvmcs.org/farm_index.php)
has also been launched for use by members of the public who are
interested in visiting the diverse range of leisure farms in Hong Kong.
By facilitating diversification, we hope to further promote sustainable
development of the local farming industry.
(e) As has been highlighted in the fifth paragraph above, the AFCD makes
good use of the Agricultural Development Fund available under the VMO
since 1988-89 to launch agricultural development programmes in
collaboration with the farming industry. Notable examples include the
Accredited Farm Scheme, the annual FarmFest as well as the "Controlled
Environment Agriculture and Hydroponic" technology which has recently
been introduced and promoted for use in local farming. The AFCD will
continue to make good use of the Fund to further promote the development
of the local farming industry in collaboration with the trade.
Through the three loan funds (including the Kadoorie Agriculture Aid
Loan Fund, J. E. Joseph Trust Fund and Vegetable Marketing Organization
Loan Fund) administered by the AFCD, loans are made available to farmers
for farm development and operation. The AFCD will review the industry's
demand for funding from time to time to ensure that the funds could
better meet the needs of recipients.
(f) Hong Kong is a highly urbanised city with limited land resources. In
accordance with the policy mentioned in the first paragraph above, the
AFCD, when developing new farming technologies, will actively explore
ways to use land resources more effectively. The Controlled Environment
Hydroponic Research and Development Centre officially opened in March
2013, is one such example. In collaboration with the VMO, the AFCD has
brought in from overseas the "Controlled Environment Hydroponic" method
for local use on a trial basis. With the adoption of sophisticated
controlled environment technology to maintain the best conditions for
growing vegetables indoor, this new method of water cultivation enables
us to produce ready-to-eat baby leaf salad vegetables which are free of
contamination. As the controlled environment hydroponic operations are
highly adaptive in terms of site requirements, vacant units in factory
buildings may be used as production bases. This will promote the
utilisation of surplus accommodation in factory buildings and relieve
the demand for farmland. Besides, as the "Controlled Environment
Hydroponic" method allows multi-layer vertical production, the area
required is much smaller than what would otherwise be needed to deliver
the same amount of production through conventional farming. It is
therefore well suited for use in a place like Hong Kong, a highly
urbanised city where land is in short supply.
Ends/Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Issued at HKT 13:56
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LCQ10 Table