New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern assures of 'Covid-free' meat exports, probe launched

New Zealand government is still seeking additional information about a claim that COVID-19 was detected in meat products exported from the country to China. New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern, during a press briefing on Monday, said that the government is still seeking more information on the issue, but asserted that she is confident the country is not exporting products with virus traces given its "COVID-19-free" status. 

Read: China Detects Positive COVID-19 Sample From Imported Frozen Beef & Shrimp; Closes Storage

According to Radio New Zealand, Ardern has said she has been advised contrary to media reports that positive tests came from meat products from Argentina and not from products that exported from New Zealand. However, the New Zealand PM also added the government is seeking more information and assured that they will get to the bottom of the issue.

The confusion may have occurred because positive tests came from cool storage in eastern China that stored products from Argentina, New Zealand, and Brazil together, as per reports. 

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"I want to get to the bottom of this ... this is incredibly important to New Zealand. We are confident, of course, that our products do not and are not exported with signs of Covid on them given our status as essentially being Covid-free," Ardern said.

Read: German Police Raid Over 60 Sites Linked To Meat Industry

Meat industry worried

Meanwhile, the reports have struck a bell among the members of the New Zealand meat industry as they are worried that the news might damage their reputation and subsequently impact the exports. New Zealand is one of the biggest meat exporters to China as just last year it exported $3.4 billion worth of meat products to the Asian nation. 

The meat industry was one of the first industries that came under the scanner after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. The industry brought unprecedented changes and introduced robust protocols to ensure COVID-19 doesn't spread in the workplace. 

Read: China Becoming Battleground For Plant-based Meat Makers

(Image Credit: AP)