cu market sign zoom out gv street scene, vegetable from truck, inside market with people shopping, fresh-fish stall, vegetable where people buying, meat and pick-and-go stall with plenty people shopping, rice shop.




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Background: The Haichu Meat and Vegetable Market is one of 36 such markets in Kwangchow, The People's Republic of China. Controlled by the Kwangtung Province's Vegetable Company, the Market is administered on a daily basis by the Revolutionary Committee.

The present building, which was constructed in 1964, occupies 1,700 sq. meters of floor space. The space. The market is opened from 0500hrs 2000hrs (compared to pre-1949 0430hrs to 1730 hrs), and caters to 70,000-80,000 people who live in the precinct which Kaichu serves.

On average 20,000 people come to the Haichu market each day. There are 18 stalls set up in the indoor market which sell the following produce:
1. "Aquatic" -- fish, turtle, shrimp, prawns, crabs etc
2. Meat -- beef, pork, mutton, goose, chickens, ducks etc.

3. Vegetables -- of which there are 75 different varieties (depending on the season)
4. Condiments -- any form of spices (red chill, pepper etc), soya sauce, dried vegetables
5. Spirits -- wines, sweets, biscuits, cigarettes.

The Haichu market gets its produce from 17 Production Teams (attached to communes) each day. The produce is brought to the market by truck -- most of it before the market opens at 0500 hrs -- but you can seed produce being unloaded as late as 1200 noon. In all, the 17 production teams cultivate 266 acres of land, and in 1973, these teams have been producing on average 46,200 lbs of vegetables per day (compared to 1971 of 73,500 lbs/day). This produce is supplemented by vegetables procured form other communes, and on average it is estimated 77,000 lbs of vegetables reach the market in 1972. (i. e. from 17 production teams plus vegetables secured by the Wholesale Dept. of the Kwangtung Vegetable Company).

The Haichu Market receives it meat from one central Kwengchow slaughterhouse by placing its order one day in advance. The figures on average are as follows:
1971 8,250 lbs/day
1072 10,300 lbs/day
1973 13,750 lbs/day
The figure will vary on Sunday and festival days when the demand for meat rises.

SOME NOTES ON PRICES: (RETAIL) -- 100 FENG - 17UAN (17UAN - Appl??? 1.10 US Blocks)
Vegetables: 5.6 feng/1 ching (or 1.1 lb) on average.

Chinese broccoli (most popular vegetable in Kwangtung) costs 7feng/1.1 lb
Green beans cost 11 feng/1.1 lb
WHOLESALE price for vegetables on average is 4.4 feng/1.1 lb.

MEAT
Pork: lean pork 1.20Yuan/1.1. Lb (most popular meat produce) with fat lyuan/1.1 Lb
Chicken: 1.71yuan/1.1 lb
Beef: 1.10 yuan/1.1 lb.

Mutton: 85 feng/1.1 lb
Duck: 75 feng/1.1 lb
Rice: 60feng/110 lbs
Fish: Dace - 56feng/1.1 lb.

carp - 71feng/1.1 lb
"big head" fish (most popular) 56 feng/1.1 lb.

Eggs: chicken eggs 90feng/1.1 lb
duck eggs 86 feng/1.1 lb.

There is a different between the wholesale price (which the Haichu Market gets its produce from the 17 Production Teams) and the retail price (which Haichu market sells to housewives etc). The market up in the retail price averages out to be approximately 16 percent profit. This profit goes to defraying the following:
???. dalaries of workers (there are 494 workers at Haichu Market)
???. transportation and packing fees
???. damages sustained by the market.

Throughout Kwangchow, long lines of people are evident. There is a shortage of some types of produce, and people are seen carrying ration books which entitle them a ??? of food per mont. The following food was seen rationed:
meat and ??? a person is allowed 3.3 lbs/month
chicken: 8 chickens or ducks per month/per person.

rice: 33 lbs of rice per person per month. (a manual labourer however gets 50 lbs/month) no rationing of vegetables
Each person pays for the produce wants to buy. The ration card controls amount of food he is ???le to buy. In other words, the price of the food does not ???ry in the event of a shortage -- the demand is controlled by government rationing.