Virus-hit Beijing wholesale market set for full recovery

BEIJING -- Beijing's largest vegetable wholesale market, which was temporarily shut down due to a COVID-19 epidemic resurgence in the first half-year, is expected to fully resume its supply capacity before the upcoming National Day holiday at the beginning of October.

On Sunday, the vegetable wholesale area in Xinfadi reopened, marking the full resumption of business at the market in the wake of the closure. Covering an area of 42.7 hectares, the revamped market offered more than 40 varieties of vegetables such as corn, beans and Chinese cabbage.

The market provided about 70 percent of Beijing's vegetables, 10 percent of its pork and 3 percent of its beef and mutton before being shut down on June 13. Starting on June 11, Beijing reported 335 confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to a cluster from the Xinfadi wholesale market.

The market partially reopened on Aug 15, after Beijing cleared the local transmission of the epidemic. On Saturday, the market's vegetable and fruit transaction volume reached 23,000 tonnes.

Gu Zhaoxue, executive deputy general manager of Xinfadi, said the management team will explore more channels to ensure fresh fruits and vegetables from the market directly reach stores in communities so as to meet the needs of citizens in the national capital.

He said the market will maintain strict epidemic prevention measures. All cargo vehicles need to have their paperwork and quarantine reports checked before entering the market.

In addition to vegetables and fruits, the market has resumed the supply of grains, cooking oils and staple foods, as well as meat including pork, beef, mutton and chicken.