Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor says authorities in the Chinese city of Jinan have confirmed the sample taken from packaging on a shipment of NZ tripe has tested positive for covid-19 genetic material.
The NZ consignment was stored in a cold storage facility along with meat products from other countries.
“There is no evidence that the New Zealand product was the source of covid-19 on the packaging of products in the cold store facility,” O’Connor said in a statement.
NZ officials are in contact with their Chinese counterparts and have stressed NZ has strong national covid-19 controls in place and a track record of managing the disease.
“New Zealand food and fibre exporters have responded well to managing the risk of covid-19 transmission, keeping their workers and product safe, and their exports flowing,” O’Connor said.