Chineseofficials appear to be in the dark over an alleged ban on Australian lobster imports into China, but business people in both countries attested Tuesday to the reality that business has slowed to a standstill.

Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesman Yao Jian told the Global Times he was not aware of the matter, while Ministry of Agriculture officials also said they knew nothing about a ban.

But in an online release Monday, Western Australia Fisheries Minister Norman Moore said he was aware that "restrictions being imposed by the Chinese government" on the lobsters were forcing the prices down. The State Department, he said, "remains hopeful the situation in China will be resolved soon."

The Australian Broadcast Corporation reported Tuesday that officials from both sides were working to overturn a "10-day ban" on the exports to China.

"The ban started in Hong Kong two weeks ago, and since Sunday it has been extended to include direct imports into Shanghai and Beijing," ABC said.

Confusion over the issue seems to be widespread.

An official with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry anonymously admitted to the Global Times Tuesday that the exportation of Australian lobsters to China had incurred difficulties, and that they are looking into the issue.

Tasmanian Rock Lobster Fishermen's Association CEO Rodney Treloggen told the Global Times Tuesday that they haven't been able to ship lobsters to China since November 16, but he was stumped at the lack of answers as to why.

"We've got lobsters everywhere in tanks and on fishing boats that they can't sell. We're doing everything we can to find out why we're unable to send (the lobsters) through normal channels," Treloggen told ABC.

Australian exporters are not the only ones feeling the pressure.

Zhang Ming, general manager of the Shandong-based Qingdao Yo+ Food Company, told the Global Times that it has been hard to get Australian lobsters into China for the past three months.

Port-side prices in some lobster areas have plummeted from A$80 per kilogram to A$30 on news of the Chinese ban, according to one ABC report. Though Treloggen did not reveal how much the industry has lost, he did say, "80 percent of all the lobsters we catch will be affected." It's reportedly an A$500 million industry, according to figures acquired by ABC.

China is Australia's biggest market for rock lobsters.

China also imports lobsters from Canada, South Africa and New Zealand.