China to stop testing, disinfecting imported frozen food for COVID

China’s meat trade on Friday welcomed the imminent testing and disinfection of chilled and frozen foods for COVID-19, more than two years after Beijing began its controversial practice, adding a significant amount to the deal. Added cost.

The State Administration for Market Supervision will stop testing refrigerated and frozen foods for COVID-19 from 8 January, according to a notice seen by Reuters and confirmed by the authorities.

It also eliminates the need to enter central warehouses for disinfection and inspection of all imported refrigerated and frozen foods before they enter the domestic market.

Italy tests airline passengers from China after saying half of travelers to Milan have COVID-19

The withdrawal of measures follows a similar announcement on Wednesday that customs officials would stop inspecting cold-chain food arriving at ports in the country.

“This policy means that costs and risks are significantly reduced in both product storage and transportation,” said a Beijing-based meat importer that buys beef and pork from the United States and other countries. said.

Staff collect samples from seafood for COVID-19 testing in Lianyungang, China, January 19, 2021.
(Si Wei/VCG via Getty Images)

After three years of imposing the world’s toughest COVID regime of lockdowns and relentless testing, China turned to coexisting with the virus this month, but new infections are surging.

China began COVID testing of refrigerated and frozen food imports in 2020 after an outbreak of disease in a wholesale market led officials to believe the virus was spread from imported agricultural products.

Beijing’s ‘peak’ of COVID as hospitals, funeral homes fill up

The practice has been controversial among trading partners and has significantly slowed food shipments to China, the world’s largest buyer of meat and many other perishable commodities.

It also increased costs for both importers and exporters.

“Abolition of inspection and disinfection requirements will undoubtedly benefit the meat industry in terms of reducing extra costs and speeding up the movement of goods,” said Huang, founder of Beijing Means Consulting Co. Juhui said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The cost of COVID-19 inspection and disinfection, moving goods from the port to central storage, demurrage, electricity bills, and central storage costs up to 30,000 yuan ($4,321) per container, taking up to 30 days. Huang says it’s possible.

Joel Haggard, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific, US Meat, said: Export Commonwealth.