Demand for agriculture products increases due to Covid-19

Residents flock to supermarkets following the government’s announcement of new Covid cases in Macau

Local demand for agriculture products has increased during the pandemic, as more locals are less inclined to cross the border and purchase fresh produce in the mainland, the CEO of the Tai Fung Supermarket chain stated on the sidelines of a recent event.
The supermarket group registered an increase of nearly 20% in sales of agricultural products during the pandemic, the CEO said.
On August 2, Tai Fung and Tianning District of Changzhou, a city in Jiangsu province, inked a long-
term cooperation agreement which will usher in a direct supply chain of ‘Cuiguan’ pears cultivated from Changzhou’s Jiaoxi Village to Macau. In the first phase of this agreement, Tai Fung is set to receive a total of six tons of the pears from Changzhou.
The collaboration will help save around 10% of previous costs, which used to go to intermediaries. As such, locals can purchase the fruit at a lower cost.
When asked if the recent resurgence of Covid-19 within Jiangsu province will affect the supply of agricultural goods shipped from Changzhou into Macau, Tai Fung’s CEO confirmed that as of now, the impact is not significant as the pandemic situation in Changzhou is considered less severe than that in Nanjing.
Besides, mainland governments have long adopted stringent control measures on their agricultural products, he said.
The signing ceremony was also attended by an official from Changzhou, who reaffirmed his commitment to the agreement to better promote Tianning’s quality fresh produce to Macau’s residents.