(Fighting against New Coronary Pneumonia) Visiting Hong Kong Markets under the Epidemic: Vegetable Prices Falling Down, Fresh Food Supply Stable
China News Agency, Hong Kong, February 18, title: Visiting Hong Kong Markets under the Epidemic: Vegetable Prices Fall, Fresh Food Supply Stable
China News Agency reporter Zhang Xiaoxi
Across the bridge from Times Square, the commercial landmark of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, is the Gooseneck Market, which is often described as "full of fireworks".
In recent days when the new crown pneumonia epidemic is severe, the flow of people here has decreased, but vegetable shops, butchers, fruit shops, etc. still maintain a stable supply. According to businessmen and citizens, the price of vegetables has also dropped compared with about a week ago. .
Data map: Citizens wait in line for nucleic acid testing.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Li Zhihua
Ms. Zhu, the owner of "New Territories Farmers' High-Quality Fruits and Vegetables" in Gooseneck Market, told a reporter from China News Agency on the 18th that most of the vegetables and fruits in the store come from the mainland.
About a week ago, as a cross-border truck driver traveling between the Mainland and Hong Kong was diagnosed with COVID-19, the price of vegetables was affected to a certain extent, but it has basically returned to normal in recent days, and the price is lower than in previous days.
"There is no big problem in terms of supply." The store clerk told reporters: "The support from the mainland is very strong, and we believe in the country."
On February 6 this year, a spokesman for the Hong Kong SAR Government stated in response to media enquiries that the Food and Health Bureau has been discussing the impact of cross-boundary truck drivers testing positive for the novel coronavirus in the Mainland on the impact of imported vegetables from Hong Kong, and the impact on transportation and housing. Bureau and other relevant policy bureaus and departments, and relevant departments in the Mainland communicate closely.
Considering the importance of supplying fresh and live food to Hong Kong, relevant Mainland authorities have made flexible arrangements.
The SAR government stated that the supply of fresh food shipped from the mainland to Hong Kong has gradually recovered in recent days.
According to the latest data released on the 18th, the supply of vegetables from the mainland to Hong Kong launched on the 17th through the wholesale markets of the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Vegetable Marketing Organization was about 788,000 kilograms, about 90% of the daily supply. The wholesale price of vegetables also continued to fall, and the overall volume of chilled poultry and meat imported from the Mainland also increased, with the volume of about 70% on weekdays.
During the visit for several consecutive days, the reporter saw that about 10 vegetable shops in Gooseneck Market have sufficient supply, and their business hours are from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm every day.
Every morning and evening, nearby residents can be seen wearing masks, face shields, etc., coming to buy food.
However, Ms. He, a merchant, believes that the flow of people has decreased recently, the epidemic situation is serious, and the weather is cloudy and rainy, and citizens seem to go out less often.
Mr. Chen, a citizen who lives near the Gooseneck Market, told reporters that in line with the principle of "going out as little as possible", when he has the opportunity to go to the market, he will purchase as much as possible.
"The epidemic is serious. In order to prevent infection of the virus, if you buy enough at a time, you can not go out for a week." Mr. Chen said.
As an office worker, Ms. Li said that because she has to go out every working day, she buys vegetables and other food every time she passes by the market, and thinks that large-scale purchases are not necessary.
She also believes that food supplies will remain stable and that vegetable prices have indeed fallen in recent days.
Similar to the situation in the Gooseneck Market, many merchants in the Java Road Market in North Point told reporters that the price of vegetables has dropped in recent days compared with the previous period, and the food supply has been stable.
At certain times such as at night, individual businesses will also offer preferential prices, so that citizens can buy food at more favorable prices.
"The price of vegetables has dropped in the past two days, and it is similar to that before the Lunar New Year." Ms. Huang, a merchant in the Java Road market area, said: "We will also tell customers that the price is relatively low recently, and you can buy it with confidence if you need it." (End )