Coronavirus Hong Kong: 6 more cross-border truckers test positive, forcing temporary shutdown of gateway for fresh food
- Operation of interchange venue for cross-border drivers at Man Kam To control point suspended for disinfection
- Only 30 to 40 trucks of vegetables able to cross on Saturday, compared with 100-200 a day the city usually relies on, industry group says
Unionists said the supply of fresh goods would be reduced in the coming days as fewer drivers were willing to take the job during the pandemic.
Hong Kong authorities said on Sunday that the operation of the interchange venue for cross-border drivers at Man Kam To control point was suspended for disinfection after drivers tested preliminary-positive for Covid-19 on Friday. Drivers who stayed there that day were also required to undergo quarantine.
Man Kam To control point is a major gateway for fresh foods – including vegetables, meat and fish – going from mainland China to Hong Kong.
Temporary interchange venues have been set up by the Shenzhen government to facilitate the transport of fresh goods to Hong Kong, but local authorities said the supply of vegetables and chilled poultry would be affected to a certain extent due to the redeployment of cross-border drivers.
According to data from the Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong receives 92 per cent of its vegetables from the mainland.
As of Sunday, a total of 23 cross-border drivers had been confirmed as infected since early this month, according to Shenzhen authorities.
Vegetable prices have remained high for days given the tighter supply. According to the Vegetable Marketing Organisation, Chinese green cabbage sold for HK$6.60 per kilogram at the beginning of the month, but was going for HK$21.70 as of Saturday.
