Farmers Demand Compensation After Fair Cancellations

The owner of Hong Kong's biggest orchid farm on Monday urged the government to compensate flower farmers for their losses over the cancellation of next month's Lunar New Year fairs.

Yeung Siu-lung told an RTHK programme that he had grown more than 30,000 orchids to be sold at the fairs and is estimating a loss of around HK$3 million. 

He said he would like the government to offer him a subsidy of HK$100 for every orchid he had grown. 

"Some restaurants have been getting hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions in subsidies. But the government has been ignoring the plight of farmers in Hong Kong," he said. 

Farmers were expected to meet officials on Monday afternoon to discuss alternative arrangements to help them sell their goods, for example, at public housing estates.

But Yeung called that proposal "absolutely unfeasible". 

"If you're worried about crowds at the Victoria Park, isn't it worse to invite shoppers to go to public housing estates?" he questioned. 

Speaking on the same programme, a specialist in respiratory medicine, Leung Chi-chiu, said it would be necessary for the authorities to implement crowd control and infection control measures if the flowers are to be sold at public housing estates. 

Last Friday, the government announced the cancellation of the fairs, citing the coronavirus pandemic for the decision.