Apex in pl/sql

Question

When i try to fetch dropdown values from table, It fetches more than 400 rows, even though i am using APEX_ITEM.SELECT_LIST_FROM_QUERY. Please see the code.
htp.p('<table>');
for i in (SELECT DISTINCT DESCRIPTION,CODE FROM EMPLOYEE
WHERE CODE = :'P39_PRODUCT_GROUP') LOOP
htp.p('<tr><td>');
htp.p(APEX_ITEM.DISPLAY_AND_SAVE(1,i.DESCRIPTION));
htp.p('</td><td>');
htp.p(APEX_ITEM.SELECT_LIST_FROM_QUERY_XL(2,'','SELECT ''-Select-'' EMPCODE,''-1'' EMPDESCRIPTION FROM DUAL
UNION ALL SELECT EMPCODE,EMPDESCRIPTION FROM EMPLOYEEDESCRIPTION
WHERE EMPCODE=''||i.CODE||''','','','','NO','','CODE',''));
htp.p('</td><td>');
htp.p(APEX_ITEM.DISPLAY_AND_SAVE(3,i.CODE));
htp.p('</td></tr>');
END LOOP;
htp.p('</table>');
It shows the dropdown with empty. Values are not in dropdown.

Answer 1

When I give two quotes before and after three quotes ''||i.CODE||'' .It display the page dropdown , but it not fetch the values. Only empty dropdown is display.
This is the code...
htp.p('<table>');
for i in (SELECT DISTINCT DESCRIPTION,CODE FROM EMPLOYEE
WHERE CODE = :'P39_PRODUCT_GROUP') LOOP
htp.p('<tr><td>');
htp.p(APEX_ITEM.DISPLAY_AND_SAVE(1,i.DESCRIPTION));
htp.p('</td><td>');
htp.p(APEX_ITEM.SELECT_LIST_FROM_QUERY_XL(2,'','SELECT ''-Select-'' EMPCODE,''-1'' EMPDESCRIPTION FROM DUAL
UNION ALL SELECT EMPCODE,EMPDESCRIPTION FROM EMPLOYEEDESCRIPTION
WHERE EMPCODE=''||i.CODE||''','','','','NO','','CODE',''));
htp.p('</td><td>');
htp.p(APEX_ITEM.DISPLAY_AND_SAVE(3,i.CODE));
htp.p('</td></tr>');
END LOOP;
htp.p('</table>');