About the Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market
The market is located between Ferry Street, Waterloo Road and Reclamation Street with Shek Lung Street passing through it. It was founded in 1913 and originally named as Government Vegetables Market which sold fruit and vegetables while fish traders joined in the 1930s. In 1965, vegetables and fish stalls moved out and relocated at Cheung Sha Wan. From then on the market has become a specialist fruit wholesaling market.
What’s special about the Market?
(1) Uniqueness/Rarity
Yau Tsim Mong district had many local retail market which are usually specialized in one product. Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market is not only specialized in selling fruit, but also is operating fruit wholesale business, which had account 70% of the total fruit products in Hong Kong.
(2) Cultural value & Economic value
Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market had a special working time (11:30 pm to 11:00 am) that is totally different to other markets. When all other retail markets are closed down, the working hours in fruit market are just start; even when all other markets operate again, the fruit market had been closed down.
Also, with their special operation habit, which extend their storage of fruit boxes on the road, it create a special phenomena and memory to both local residents and driver who came across the Waterloo Road at the midnight.
(3) Historical Significance
The market is a historically valuable site and is classified as a Grade II Historic Building since 2009. The Fruit Market is still operating just like a live museum for all the Hong Kong people, which remind us the past prosperous and glorious of fruit market in Hong Kong.
(4) Social value
The intangible wholesale activity, the special oral tradition, communication method and operation schedule are very important to formulate this unique and distinctive ‘spirit of place’ in the fruit market.
What is the controversy of the Market?
The government have the idea to relocate the market at the end of 1997. However, fruit dealers strongly opposed and reluctant to move into Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Vegetable Market Complex, because of the inconvenient location and serious transport problems of future site, therefore, they refused to relocated and requested for relocation in the original district, but government disagreed their opinions as no area in district is suitable to use as market.
From now, the relocation plan has been delayed for 28 years. The remaining fruit market was expanded and the market has given rise to many environmental hygiene and traffic problems Local residents and community organizations have strongly demand for relocation of Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market, which government caught in a dilemma.
What can we do?
Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market is definitely an crucial cultural heritage in Hong Kong that needs to be preserved and upgraded. The question is: how do we do it? Everyone may have different answers. Join the discussion and decide the future of the Market by ourselves!
果欄位於渡船街，窩打老道及新填地街與石龍街之間。成立於1913年，最初被命名為九龍水果批發市場，銷售水果和蔬菜，而魚商則在30年代加入。 1965年，蔬菜和魚類攤位搬遷至長沙灣。從那時起，果欄已成為專門的水果批發市場。
果欄有什麼特別之處？
（1）稀有性
油尖旺區有很多零售市場，通常專門售賣一種產品。油麻地水果批發市場不僅銷售水果，還經營水果批發業務，其批發量佔香港水果產品總量的70％。
（2）文化和經濟價值
果欄有特殊的工作時間（晚上11:30至早上11:00），與其他市場完全不同。當其他零售市場關閉時，果欄的工作時間才剛剛開始；其他市場再次運營時，果欄大部分檔口已經關閉。
此外，由於他們特殊的營業習慣，將一箱箱水果堆在馬路上的兩旁，為當地居民和在午夜時分經過窩打老道的司機留下了深刻的記憶。
（3）歷史意義
果欄是一個具有歷史價值的地方，自2009年起被列為二級歷史建築。果欄仍然一如既往的運作，提醒香港人獅子山下的拼搏精神。
（4）社會價值
批發交易，特有語言，溝通方式和營運時間構成了果欄獨特的地方精神。
果欄遇上什麼爭議呢？
政府在一九九七年年底開始計劃搬遷果欄。由於地理位置不方便及運輸問題嚴重，水果經銷商強烈反對計劃，拒絕搬遷並要求原區重置，但由於區內並沒有適合的土地，計劃因此擱置。
至現時為止搬遷計劃已推遲28年。果欄日漸擴張，引起許多環境衛生和交通問題，當地居民和社區組織強烈要求盡快重新安置果欄，政府陷入兩難境地。
我們能做什麼？
果欄絕對是香港重要的文化遺產，理應好好保育及改善。問題是：怎樣保育才合適呢？每個人可能都有不同的答案。加入討論，為果欄找出更好保育方案，就是對這個困局最大的幫助!