Some people have reported that congestion of cold-chain containers at China's sea ports could impact the global supply chain, but a new investigation into the matter revealed that while stricter inspections of frozen food may cause some delays, it is more so a confluence of global factors, including poor handling of the virus and a lack of inspection overseas causing the congestion.
In interviews with the Global Times, industry insiders and businesses describe a domino effect across the globe, in which cold-chain shipments face serious delays and uncertainties, given the raging epidemic in many parts of the world which has led to a shortage of containers that has disrupted cold-chain commerce.
To solve the problems, efforts are needed from ports across the world, including improved inspections of shipments, industry insiders said. Chinese ports and related industries are also ramping up efforts to tackle the stockpile of cold-chain containers, and container manufacturers are accelerating production too.
Suspension of fruit imports
Shijiazhuang, the capital of North China's Hebei Province, announced on Sunday the suspension of fruit imports, removal of on-shelf products and the sealing of stock after detecting coronavirus on a batch of imported cherries at a wholesale market. Aside from imported cherries, more imported food products, including red king crab, pork and ice cream, have been found with the virus present on outer packaging.