Use some spare land in HK for farming
I refer to the letter by Toby Yeung (“Organic farms need thorough approach”, May 31).
With fewer farms in Hong Kong, including organic ones, we need to bring in more produce from the mainland. There is just not enough local supply.
I agree with your correspondent that there is no legally stipulated standard for organic foods in Hong Kong, whether grown here or coming from north of the border. This raises questions about safety and potential risks to consumers.
The pressure to turn available arable land into housing developments has grown with an increased population.
However, as we import more organic food from the mainland, there has to be some form of effective quality control.
Some vegetables have been found to contain heavy metals and residues of pesticides. This is because agricultural technology and safeguards are not highly developed on the mainland. Farmers may be ignorant about the need to adhere to safety guidelines. The authorities need to set up an advisory group to give them some guidance and help them acquire new skills. Regulations are needed here to ensure that all food that vendors claim is organic meets minimum safety standards.