The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department today announced that 93 stalls in the overhauled Aberdeen Market will be put up for open auction on February 16 at the Youth Square in Chai Wan.

As a pioneering project of the Market Modernisation Programme, the overhauled market is expected to reopen at the end of March with multiple modernised facilities and management arrangements introduced.

The categories of retail commodities allowed for sale in the market stalls will include fresh meat, chilled pork, chilled poultry, fish, siu mei and/or lo mei, cooked food, fruits, vegetables, food-related dry or wet goods and non-food related dry or wet goods. The upset prices of the monthly rent will depend on the sizes and locations of individual stalls.

The department said the tenancy will take effect from March 1 to facilitate decoration and other preparation works by the tenants.

The tenancy agreement is a three-year fixed term, with no right of automatic renewal. However, the signing of new tenancy agreements can be arranged upon mutual agreement.

People who are at least 18 years old and ordinarily residing in Hong Kong are welcome to attend the open auction. Each person will only be allowed to bid for one stall in the market.

Those interested in the auction may also visit the market in advance from 9.30am to 4.45pm on February 14, while people under the age of 18 will not be allowed entry.

The department will issue a total of 240 admission tickets on a first come, first served basis from 9am on that day at the main entrance on G/F of Aberdeen Municipal Services Building. Each person will be given one ticket and is allowed to select one touring session only.

Participants are required to enter the market according to the respective sessions they selected and adhere to the venue's safety rules.