That came as Hong Kong Imported Vegetable Wholesale Merchants Association director Chan Chi-wai said around 30 percent of some 300 cross-border truck drivers delivering vegetables are currently in quarantine.

He said the supply chain is relying on the rest of the drivers to make up for the shortfall with overtime, which is not sustainable, as around 15 percent of the drivers are planning to resign, and they have had no choice but to increase the rate from HK$800 for a round trip to as much as HK$3,000 to retain them.

Lau proposed Hong Kong drivers hand their trucks over to mainland drivers at Man Kam To border crossing and undergo Covid-19 tests.

Hong Kong drivers then wait at designated hotels after the tests, while the mainland drivers drive to suppliers to fetch fresh produce back to the border crossing.

Lau also suggested banning truck drivers from directly delivering fresh vegetables to wet markets and requiring them to drop off their loads at wholesale markets to avoid them coming into contact with the community.

Lau's party colleague, agriculture and fisheries sector lawmaker Steven Ho Chun-yin, called on the SAR administration to increase the transparency of vegetable prices and disclose the daily volume of fresh produce supplied to Hong Kong.

However, Hong Kong Food Council chairman Thomas Ng Wing-yan said vegetable supply was very smooth yesterday and has already returned to 90 percent of normal levels, which is sufficient to fulfill local demand.

Ng said he expects supply to get back to normal in three to four days, after facilities where new cases have been found finish their sanitizing, followed by prices soon after.