Two North Otago meat processing plants are still waiting for certificates to be renewed so they can resume exports to China.
Alliance Group's Pukeuri processing plant and Lean Meats plant both lost certification because of irregularities with labelling on cartons in shipments sent to China.
Lean Meats kept processing, but Pukeuri sent about 240 workers home on August 8.
They returned to work on September 18.
Both plants have passed audits by the Ministry of Primary Industries, but are still waiting for confirmation from China for certificates to be renewed.
Yesterday, a ministry spokesman said the ministry and Chinese authorities were exploring options for resuming trade.
As part of this, the ministry was providing a range of technical information to China.
''This process is continuing,'' he said.
That was the only reply the ministry made to a list of five questions sent by the Otago Daily Times asking about progress.
