Covid-19 vaccine mandates could be a big relief for New Zealand's food exporters

Roughly 40 percent of New Zealand's workforce will be required to get the jab under new government guidelines -- or lose their job.

That includes staff in high risk settings - like the hospitality sector, gyms and hairdressers.

Export New Zealand's hopeful it will be easier for manufacturers to require staff to get vaccinated, which can be a market access issue.

Executive Director Catherine Beard says China watches all of this very closely.

She says China is sensitive to importing anything contaminated by Covid, so it's important for food manufacturers to have immunised staff.