A farmer unloads Napa cabbages on Dec. 6 at a collection point in Tongxu county in Central China’s Henan province. Vegetable sales tumbled in Henan over the past two months due to Covid-19. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

A vegetable merchant removes a quilt from a truck on Dec. 4 in Henan’s capital Zhengzhou. Official data showed that more than 162,000 tons of vegetables remained unsold there as of Nov. 19. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Merchants sell vegetables at the intersection of Jinshui West and Songshan roads in Zhengzhou on Nov. 24. Two hours later, the area was put under a Covid lockdown. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

A merchant sleeps inside his van in Zhengzhou on Dec. 2. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Liu Jieqian (below) sells scallions on the night of Dec. 11. Liu also owns a printing shop in the city, but business has been bad this year. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Merchants operate temporary shops at the intersection of Jingguang South and Changjiang roads on Dec. 4 as Covid-19 restrictions forced nearby wholesale markets to close. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

The ad-hoc shops had disappeared from the intersection by Dec. 14 as markets reopened after the city relaxed Covid-19 restrictions. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Radishes sit in a heap on the roadside in Tongxu county on Dec. 6. Local farmers struggled to get their produce to market in October and November due to virus restrictions. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Merchants sell carrots in Tongxu county on Dec. 6. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Ma Li, the owner of a cold storage facility, inspects his inventory of cauliflower on Dec. 14. Unable to sell the vegetables, Ma had to leave them in his freezer for 40 days. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin