(Yicai Global) Jan. 25 -- The batch of imported cherries being sold in Wuxi, southeastern Jiangsu province that had traces of the novel coronavirus on the inner packaging were not from Chile, the Embassy of the Republic of Chile said yesterday.

The embassy in Beijing has yet to receive any official notification from the General Administration of Customs of China or any other government body proving that the products come from the South American country, it said.

The contaminated batch was discovered on Jan. 21. The Wuxi Center for Disease Control took 199 samples from the surrounding area and associated personnel and the tests all came back negative.

Nearly 90 percent of Chile’s cherry exports last year were to China. Already 130 million kilograms have been imported into the country this season, reaching 400 million consumers, the embassy said. Sales are expected to rise further in the run up to the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday next month.

All staff on the cherry farms and packing plants have been trained in the strict use of masks, face shields and personal protective equipment since last March, the Chilean Export Promotion Bureau’s office in China said. Workers are required to have their temperatures checked before entering the facilities and must keep a distance from each other.

The fact that some imported cherries tested positive for the virus will affect sales, China News reported, citing Lu Fangxiao, president of the China Fruit Marketing Association. The continued spread of the pandemic abroad and the discovery of new mutations will make consumers more cautious about buying imported foodstuffs.

Prices may drop if there is still a large amount of stock, he added.

E-commerce platforms such as Alibaba Group Holding’s Tmall and JD.com are still selling cherries. Sales staff told Yicai Global that they have not received notification from the government to remove the fruit.

Editor: Kim Taylor