Many seafood shipments exported to China have been returned due to carrying the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
According to the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department, up to 52 batches of seafood exported to China by 36 firms in Vietnam have been found to have been contaminated by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
"The Coronavirus was found on the wrapping, on the containers, and even on the products," the department said. "China have immediately halted importing products from these firms. This has caused losses for local enterprises and also badly affected the prestige of Vietnamese seafood products."
The department said that with the current fast spreading of the pandemic in Vietnam and the Zero Covid policy applied in China, Vietnamese exporters would face difficulties in the Chinese market.
"Firms should carefully disinfect the packaging areas to avoid the virus being transmitted onto their products," the department said.
Last December, China imposed a four-week ban on dragon fruit imports through a major Vietnamese border gate after detecting Covid-19 in some previous shipments.
