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November 1, 2016

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Tongchuan market closes up shop for the last time

THE city’s largest seafood market, Tongchuan Road Aquatic Product Market, in Putuo District shut down at midnight last night, to be demolished to make way for Metro Line 14 and to improve the urban landscape, the district government said.

Over the past two decades, Tongchuan was considered the best wholesale and retail fresh seafood market with the widest choice and lowest prices, not just in Shanghai but also among other cities in the lower Yangtze area.

But local residents have long complained of the market’s stench and noise.

Although the market was still operating yesterday, most stands had closed and many vendors were packing equipment and shipping seafood off to new markets in the city.

“This is the biggest seafood market in east China and some varieties, particularly those very expensive ones, can only be found here,” 57-year-old merchant Le Yulin told Shanghai Daily.

“Most of my customers are from local restaurants, but the night market is for wholesalers and is even busier. More non-local restaurant operators would drive all the way here to buy seafood in one shopping.”

The market opens 24-hour a day. Le worked from 7 am to 7 pm during the day market, and the stand’s night shift was contracted by another merchant.

Le, from eastern Anhui Province, has been selling fish in the market for about 13 years with his wife. Instead of moving to other markets like most merchants here, he decided to return to his hometown and help to take care of his grandchildren.

“We are getting old and our knees are getting worse. Starting the business again in a new market is not easy,” he said, worried about traffic congestion and small crowds at other venues.

Le was glad to take a break after years of hard work, but he also misses the old days in the market.

“It took me three to five years to establish my reputation here,” he says.

“Nobody knows a newcomer in the market. They don’t know if you are honest or if your fish are good. You have to earn the clients gradually with the service and products.

“If the new market develops well, maybe we’ll come back.”

According to Putuo District government, the market has more than 2,400 stands, with more than 1,350 registered operators employs about 25,000 people and turns over 200,000 tons a year.

The government is working with four major seafood markets in the city to relocate the Tongchuan merchants.

City authorities say the rise of other professional seafood markets has now reached nearly 70 percent of the total market.




 

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