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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
KWEKWE-based dairy company, Dendairy, has temporarily shelved its expansion programme due to the negative impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The pandemic has seen the global economy going on a standstill with crippling effects on domestic businesses and ordinary people’s livelihoods.

At home the Government declared a 21-day lockdown before adding 14 more days to try and curb the spread of the disease.

The lockdown has also seen borders being closed in a bid to avoid imported cases.

In an interview Dendairy director, Mr Daryl Archibald, said the dairy firm has not been spared the effects of the Covid 19.

“There is no way we can continue with the expansion programme because most of the material that we use is imported.

“The expansion programme has been stalled by the impossibility of importing raw materials,” he said.

The company had planned to install three new packaging lines as it seeks to double production from 4,6 million litres per month to eight million litres.

As a result of the prevailing Covid-19 strain, Mr Archibald said the company was currently operating at 50 percent as there was no adequate market to absorb products.

“We are currently piling stock. Shops are not opening for long, which means there is less demand for products.

“We have since reduced production to 50 percent,” he said.

The company, which employs more than 100 workers, supplies the whole of Zimbabwe with dairy products and has since expanded its wings to the regional market with supplies to Zambia, Malawi and South Africa.