China’s biggest wine and spirits fair reportedly has set new dates after it was twice rescheduled and postponed due to the country’s dogged “zero Covid policy”, but lack of international visitors still undermines its reach.

After months of delay, it appears China Food and Drinks Fair (CFDF) could be held as early as mid July in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province in southwestern China, after being postponed twice this year, according to Chinese language trade media WBO, but organizer has yet to officially pin down exact dates.

Originally scheduled for March each year, the spring edition of CFDF was first postponed to April due to outbreaks in its hosting city, but its April date was again scrapped outbreaks and lockdowns in several Chinese cities.

However, the final dates are still pending confirmation as it’s heavily dependent on China’s pandemic situation, as the country is bent on eradicating all Covid cases.

The fair prides itself as the most effective trade fair for the country’s drinks industry that covers Baijiu, beer, spirits, wine and other drinks beverages, and this year’s 106th edition was expected to attract over 300,000 trade visitors at Western China (Chengdu) International Expo City.

Since the start of the pandemic, CFDF Chengdu fair has suffered a few delays due to pandemic control measures and for past three editions the fair has largely been devoid of international visitors due to China’s stringent border controls.

Conversely, Chinese wine buyers have been conspicuously missing at large international trade shows such as Prowein, Vinexpo and Vinitaly, deterring effective business and contacts between the world’s second biggest economy and rest of the wine world.