Beijing wholesale market reopens as Covid-19 outbreak ends (Representational image)
The Xinfadi wholesale market in Beijing reopened on Saturday after was temporarily closed due to a COVID-19 cluster nearly two months ago. More than 1,000 trucks are expected to deliver some 13,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables to the 112-hectare market on Saturday, helping recover about 60 per cent of its normal transaction volumes, reports Xinhua news agency.
The market will be fully operational by September 10, according to Zhou Xinchun, executive deputy head of Fengtai District, where the market is located.
Xinfadi provided about 70 per cent of Beijing's vegetables, 10 per cent of its pork, and 3 per cent of its beef and mutton before it was shut on June 13.
The market will cease its retail business and close doors to individual consumers after the reopening, and all sellers and buyers are required to complete real-name authentication before entering the market, said Zhou.
A 1,000-square-meter retail vegetable market has been set up outside the wholesale market to meet the demands of nearby residents.
Since June 11, Beijing reported 335 confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to a cluster of infections in the Xinfadi wholesale market.
By August 6, all of the patients had been discharged from the hospital after recovery.
