Development of the Agriculture and Fisheries Industry
130. The Government has attached importance to the local agriculture and fisheries industry and is committed to promoting its modernisation and sustainable development. We support the sector in the application of advanced technology and intensification of production, as well as helping it seize the opportunities arising from the GBA development.
131. In my last Budget, I proposed to make two separate injections of $500 million into the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund and the Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund. Upon approval of this funding proposal by the Finance Committee of the LegCo in December last year, the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) has proposed a number of enhancements to suitably expand the coverage of the funds and further streamline the application procedures taking into account the views of the industry. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also set up a task force to strengthen the support for interested applicants.
132. Phase 1 of the Agricultural Park in Kwu Tung, set up with $830 million of Government funding, has commenced operation in phases since late 2022. The industry has been conducting a consultancy study on the building design guidelines for multi-storey livestock farms with financial support of the Government. On fisheries, the AFCD plans to designate four new fish culture zones this year, to provide an additional development area of about 600 hectares. Besides, several new deep sea cages with modern mariculture equipment will be provided in phases for renting to fisheries associations, to lower their start-up costs. Fishermen associations may also apply to the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund for setting up and operating new deep sea cages to facilitate sustainable development in terms of intensification of production.
133. To promote the upgrading, transformation, modernisation and sustainable development of the agriculture and fisheries industry, the EEB will work hand in hand with the industry to formulate a blueprint for the sustainable development of agriculture and fisheries. This will help to raise the quality and value of local produce, as well as the productivity of the industry in the long run through an array of measures covering finance, infrastructure, land and technical support, etc.
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