Chinese demands that overseas suppliers guarantee their food shipments are free of the novel coronavirus are causing some shippers to forego the China trade, an industry group representing US produce growers said on Friday, reported Reuters.
Western Growers, which represents companies that produce half of US fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, confirmed that many of its members had received such requests from Chinese authorities.
“It’s changing how some of our growers are reacting to the marketplace,” said Dennis Nuxoll, the trade group’s vice president of federal government affairs. “Some of them are not going to export.”
Western Growers complained this week to the US Department of Agriculture and US Trade Representative over the issue, and the government said it would take it up, Nuxoll said.