Hong Kong new agricultural policy

Hong Kong Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying has disclosed that on Wednesday that the Hong Kong government had decided to implement a new Agriculture Policy while delivering his fourth policy address in Hong Kong City.

Chun-ying said that major measures including establishing an Agricultural Park and exploring the feasibility of designating agricultural priority areas would be put in place. Also a 65 million dollars Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund will be set up aside providing better support and assistance to help farmers move up the value chain in areas such as product marketing and brand building, and developing leisure and educational activities related to agriculture, he said.
Chun-ying who reiterated that the value of agriculture had gone beyond its economic contribution, stated that developing local agriculture not only increases choices in terms of origin of food, it also helps optimise land use, improve the environment and hygiene in rural areas and conserve the natural ecology.

He said so far, the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund, had granted subsidies totalling 28 million Hong Kong dollars to farmers and investors and reiterated that government’s willingness to continue to encourage the use of the fund to provide technical support and training for those engaged in fishery operations, including the fishing and aquaculture industries.