Hong Kong could ease the crunch in fresh food supplies by transporting goods from mainland China by sea, a method which could bring in about 70 per cent of the original volume for vegetables, industry leaders have said.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor revealed earlier on Tuesday that the government was considering importing fresh food from the mainland by sea.
“Residents do not need to be overanxious, I urge everyone to remain confident,” Lam said. “Let’s work together to combat the virus.”
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Hong Kong fresh food supply shocks continue as more truckers face quarantine
About 20 per cent of the 8,000 local cross-border drivers responsible for transporting fresh food from the mainland to Hong Kong had either contracted coronavirus or were undergoing quarantine, Lam said, adding that the industry was recruiting more drivers who had not been infected.
Industry leaders on Tuesday said shipping fresh goods from the mainland by sea was feasible as that was how the city had its food delivered years ago, until the method was replaced by road transport.
Citing a mainland shipping contractor familiar with the matter, Hong Kong Vegetable Union vice-president Oscar Chan Nga-leung said he understood that the fresh goods would be transported by sea from Shekou port in Shenzhen to the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal and Kwai Tsing Container Terminals.
The arrangement was supported by the central and Shenzhen governments, he said.
“Once the Hong Kong government gives the green light, the measures can be implemented within a week,” he said, adding about 70 per cent of the original transport capacity for vegetables could be met and that a trial operation was already under way.
Chan estimated it would take a ship, which could carry about eight to 10 cargo containers at a time, 2.5 hours to come to Hong Kong from Shekou.
“The frequency of the ship is flexible, it is subject to the demand for the goods,” he said. “This is not a commercial activity ... it aims to stabilise the fresh food supply in Hong Kong.”
Frankie Yick Chi-ming, legislator for the transport sector, said the goods to be shipped over would include vegetables, meat and daily necessities.
Asked about the infection risks of the crew members, he said: “Undergoing [Covid-19] testing is not a problem at all, it could still be done ... Most of them are mainland crew members, they will remain on the vessel during their stay in Hong Kong ... and go back to the mainland afterwards.”
Yim Kong, legislator of the commercial functional constituency, said he believed sea transport would be a medium- to long-term measure until the local outbreak was contained.
The Transport and Housing Bureau said its supply task force was studying different methods, including water transport, to ensure a stable and sufficient supply of goods from the mainland to Hong Kong.
More details of the new measures will be announced as soon as possible, a bureau spokesman said.
Hong Kong receives 92 per cent of vegetables, 94 per cent of fresh pork and 97 per cent of live freshwater fish from the mainland.
As part of containment measures against Covid-19, Hong Kong drivers have been barred from loading goods on the mainland, and are forced to rely on the staff at designated interchange venues at the Man Kam To checkpoint to do the job.
As of Tuesday, Shenzhen authorities said a total of 47 cross-border drivers had either been confirmed as infected or tested preliminary-positive for the virus since February 4. Several others were placed in quarantine after being identified as close contacts of the confirmed cases.
Food supply in Hong Kong disrupted again after 6 more truckers catch Covid-19
The shortage of cross-border truck drivers and the time taken for disinfection at the interchange venue has caused delays in deliveries in the past week.
Fresh food items, especially vegetables, have quickly sold out in supermarkets across the city while prices at some wet market stalls were reported to have more than doubled.
A government spokesman said on Tuesday the supply of vegetables and chilled poultry had resumed to 70 and 60 per cent respectively, adding that stock would gradually increase when port operations returned to normal. The supply of live pigs was not affected.
Chan Dik-sau, chairman of the Container Transportation Employees General Union, said he was worried cross-border drivers could lose their job under the sea transport arrangement.
He hoped the mainland authorities could allow Hong Kong drivers without a mainland driving licence to head to the interchange venue to make up for the shortage.
More from South China Morning Post:
- Vegetable prices in Hong Kong continue to rise as Covid-19 cases among cross-border truckers force stricter testing requirements
- Delayed trucks at mainland Chinese border push Hong Kong vegetable prices through the roof
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