weird - unable to identify value of a simple String in java (testng) [duplicate]

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• How do I compare strings in Java? 23 answers

I am obtaining a value from a cell in an excel file and storing it to a string var.

I can print the string var to the console.

However, I cannot identify the content of the string in an If statement.

What's going on?

@Test(dataProvider="sourceFromExternalExcelFile")
    public void testcase(String blockStatus) throws IOException, InterruptedException, JSONException {

// as expected, returns in the console:  blockStatus is blocked
System.out.println("blockStatus is " + blockStatus);

// unexpected, value of blockStatus is not identified as: blocked       
if (blockStatus == "blocked") {System.out.println("IDENTIFIED");}

I am even able to create a new string comprising of string: blockStatus, print this new string, but then unable to use the value of a the new string in an If statement.

Could this be something to do with running the method once per entry in the dataProvider?

Thanks