Hong Kong farmers to tour S. Korea for advanced farming technology

A delegation of Hong Kong farmers will leave for South Korea on Sept. 20 on a seven-day visit to learn from the advanced technology and management of the country's agricultural sector.

The 27-member group, consisting of representatives from the Vegetable Marketing Organization and local farmers' co-operative societies, will visit South Korea's organic and conventional farms, green houses, vegetable processing factories and wholesale markets.

"To improve sales of local agricultural products, the delegation will also study market operation of South Korea's agricultural sector," said a spokesman of the group.

Densely populated with limited land, Hong Kong relies heavily on imported agricultural products. Nevertheless, there are still around 1,000 hectares of farmland and locally produced vegetables are very popular.

During the past few years, study tours were arranged for local farmers to various countries to enhance local technological know- how and broaden their horizons.

In a 2004 visit to Japan, farmers from Hong Kong learnt from the operation of Japanese farm markets and subsequently set up a similar organic market in Tai Po, which has proven a success and helped the development of local organic cultivation.

Source: Xinhua