/陳振潮菜種行
開業歷史: 1905
業務: 種植
商品: 菜種，花種，茶仔粉，肥料，泥土，防蟲，糧食（米，油）
地址: 深水埗桂林街119號
陳振潮菜種行是家族生意，店東陳生是第三代的傳人。 由陳生的爺爺開始陳振潮菜種行到現在已有百多年的歷史。「菜種行」的主要生意是賣蔬菜種子、肥料、及農耕用品等給農戶，但近20年生意隨著香港的農業式微，令「菜種行」在歷史中一同消失。
陳先生回想起過去上世紀50年代，當年深水埗是九龍及新界的必經之路，亦即是農田及市場中間點，給引不少菜種行在深水埗及長沙灣一帶開業，加上當年深水埗還有農地，促使菜種行在深水埗迅速發展。在60年代開始，市區發展及填海工程令深水埗的農地消失，以及後來在80年代開始香港的農業式微，都令香港的菜種行經營困難，現時全九龍區只剩下陳振潮菜種行這一間。
陳先生回想當年來買菜種的多是農民，所以經營菜種行亦要有農耕的知識。不同溫度、不同的季節、不同地勢要種植甚麼種類的菜等，這些是基本的常識。陳先生舉例說: 太平山的地理位置是凹入的，會比較溫暖5度左右，所要會適合種植通菜。夏天會多種瓜，芥菜等，冬天便會種植波菜，白菜，菜芯，油麥菜等。此外，他們亦要熟悉農民的生活習慣提供一站式的東西吸引農民光顧。當年的交通不方便，農民不會經常出外辦貨，所以菜種行除了種子、肥料、殺蟲水外，也會賣糧食及生活用品及來辦貨的農民，他們甚或會預備連飼料及養豬和養雞的農民。現在農戶生意減少，隨了熟客光顧外，陳先生亦兼賣生活雜貨等幫補生意。
/ Chan Chun Chui Seed Co.
Timeline: Since 1905
Business Type: Agricultural supplies
Products: flower and vegetable seeds, Camellia seed powder, fertilizers, soil, pesticides, groceries (rice, oil)
Address: G/F, 119 Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po.
Chan Chun Chui Seed Co. is a family business. Current owner, Mr. Chan is the 3rd generation. The business has been running for more than 100 years since his grandfather, Chan Chun Chui founded it. The Seed Co. ‘s main business is selling vegetable seeds, fertilizers and agricultural supplies to farmers. However, along with the declining farming industry in Hong Kong in the past 20 years, Seed Companies are disappearing.
Mr. Chan recalled the time in the 1950s when Sham Shui Po was a connecting hub of Kowloon and the New Territories. It was a center where farmland and the market met. The advantageous location attracted a lot of Seeds companies to run their business in Sham Shui Po and Cheung Sha Wan area. Also, there were still farmlands in Sham Shui Po during that era, making the industry developed rapidly. From the 1960s, urbanization and reclamation contributed to the disappearance of farmlands in Sham Shui Po. Together with the decline in the farming industry since the 1980s, maintaining the industry became very difficult. Nowadays, there is only one Seed Company left in Kowloon – Chan Chun Chui Seed Co.
Mr. Chan remembers that most of the customers were farmers. Therefore, running a Seed Co,. needs knowledge of farming. Different temperature, seasons, geographical features would fit for different kinds of vegetations, all these are basic knowledge. For example, the Tai Ping Shan area is hollow, temperature is about 5 degrees warmer than room temperature, it is most suitable for planting Chinese spinach. Melons and Chinese mustards are best for summer while spinach, cabbage, choi sum and Chinese lettuce are best for winter. In addition, they also provided one-stop service for their customers. Transportation was not as convenient during that era, the farmers would not visit town too often. Therefore, apart from seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, Chan Chun Chui Seed Co. also provided groceries and daily household products for the farmers. They even prepared animal feed for famers who raised chicken and pigs. Nowadays, the number of farmer customers has greatly reduced. Mr. Chan needs to sell groceries to help maintain the business.
以前洗頭用的茶仔餅。
People use this “Cha Chai Ben” as shampoo in the past.
店內還有不少不同種類的菜種
There are still many seeds in the shop.
