USMEF Audio: China's COVID-19 Countermeasures Heighten Concerns about Delayed Product Movement

Since a late July outbreak of the COVID-19 Delta variant in Nanjing, the Chinese government has imposed strict countermeasures in affected areas in an effort to contain the virus, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) says.

In the clip below Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific, explains that so far China's heightened restrictions have not had a significant impact on red meat demand, with most areas reporting normal restaurant traffic and consumer activity. But the situation has prompted some local authorities to step up cold storage facility inspections to ensure compliance with COVID19 protocols, raising concerns about shipping delays.

Haggard adds that since Aug. 12, operations have been suspended at a container terminal at China’s Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. While this is not a particularly large point of entry for U.S. red meat products, the terminal closure further elevated concerns about container bottlenecks and vessel congestion in China, especially at the Port of Shanghai where some shipments destined for Ningbo were re-routed.