CNY Market booth auctions ‘less heated’ than in previous years

Chinese New Year (CNY) Market 2021 auctions were “less heated” than previous years, the head of Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) Vender Division Kam Chi Wai told reporters on Wednesday after the auctions for the incense and windmill booths in front of A-Ma Temple and Kun Iam Temple.

Kam made the remarks on the sidelines of Wednesday’s auctions at the Activity Centre of the Patane Municipal Market.

Kam noted that in previous years, a booth in front of A-Ma Temple cost over MOP 20,000. However, on Wednesday all the booths were auctioned off at their minimum price of MOP 5,000 and only two out of three booths in front of Kun Iam Temple were auctioned off for MOP 1,000 each. There were no bids for the third.

Kam said that this year fewer people took part in the auctions, adding that there was no competition for 10 booths outside A-Ma Temple, and therefore they were auctioned off at the minimum price.

According to a statement provided by the bureau during the auction, the upcoming CNY Market will have 24 dry goods booths, six flower booths and four cooked food booths in Praça do Tap Seac. The statement noted that the highest price last year was MOP 33,500 but the highest price on Wednesday was MOP 22,000.

Chu, a bidder who paid MOP 19,500 for a booth, said that last year she got her booth for MOP 27,000. She pointed out that last Chinese New Year, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the market was cut short and fewer people showed up. She also said that last Chinese New Year her customers were mainly locals so she was not too worried that there would be fewer people this year.

Macao’s first COVID-19 case was confirmed on 22 January, three days before Chinese New Year. The 2021 Chinese New Year falls on 12 February.

Chu said that this year she did not make a profit but she was hoping that by having a booth at the CNY market could help promote her store and convey a positive message to residents.

(The Macau Post Daily/Macao News)
Photo by The Macau Post Daily/Prisca Tang