Starting on March 28, merchants from across the Taiwan Straits could apply for booths at a commodity trading market in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone.

More than 900 merchants, over half from Taiwan, have expressed intentions to settle in the trading market, where a variety of taxes including tariff, import value-added tax and consumption tax are exempt.

The tax break covers six main categories of Taiwan's commodities: grain and oil, farm products, textile and garment, artware, light industrial products and medicine. The value of the commodities cannot exceed 6,000 yuan ($966) a day per merchant.

Since the favorable tax policy was introduced last year, more Taiwan merchants have shown interest in bringing their business to the trading market, which comprises 39 buildings covering an area of 150,000 square meters.

The first phase of the market, along with a wholesale Taiwan fruit market nearby, was completed in late March and is expected to open soon.

The market will accept competitive bids for its booths, according to insiders.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Nelly Min