There are growing calls to ban wet markets in Asia after the COVID-19 pandemic was believed to have originated in one in Wuhan near the end of 2019.
The AM Show spoke to Mahon China Investments Chairman David Mahon to find out what a wet market is and what their future could be like after the pandemic.
Mahon says the markets are very similar to a New Zealand farmers market.
"That is effectively the same environment as a wet market, the difference is that there is probably meat," Mahon says.
"They are just outside markets where fresh food is sold. They are not really an issue but it's what's sold in them.
"In some markets, very few, you'll have things like strange animals, bats are amongst them. They are illegal in China and in most cities, they don't have those kinds of products."
The Guardian reported wet markets are more popular with older shoppers who prefer their meat fresh, instead of frozen which is found in many Chinese supermarkets.
They go to the wet markets and get to chat with their friends and neighbours, and the food is often more affordable for the local people.
But at some wet markets, illegal animals such as bats are sold.
Mohan says only a small portion of the population eats these animals.
"There are some things though that are really bad and there is a sense it is often around aphrodisiacs but the idea that some rare, wild animals have special qualities and that's lead to the consumption of some of the rarer things like bats."
But he says most markets are strictly monitored to ensure illegal animals aren't sold.
"China does have very strong standards in terms of product quality because of its own consumer demand.
"The real trigger for that was the melamine crisis in 2008 and following that when children were dying of contaminated infant formula you had this whole, almost revolution in terms of demands on the Government for much greater scrutiny...
"You see inspectors coming through and testing products and talking to shareholders so there is a general quality of supervision.
"In the case of Wuhan, clearly it broke down and Wuhan is not an exception, so I think we will see a major change."
Mohan says after the COVID-19 pandemic ends, if wet markets are allowed to fully reopen, the restrictions will be even tighter.
"They are going to be very very heavily curtailed going forward," he said.
"I think going forward the rigorousness around banning those animals is going to be considerable but China is a huge place, and in some of the border provinces it is going to be difficult."
