Companies have been confirming their 'essential services' status on the market today, as the country prepares to enter alert level 4 - essentially a lockdown - from tomorrow morning.
Sanford, honey producer and exporter Comvita, Scales apple exporter and Sky Television have confirmed their status as 'essential services'. Photo: Sanford / RNZ / Supplied Richard Parsonen
The apple exporter Scales has confirmed its role as essential, pending a strict Ministry for Primary Industries registration process.
Sanford will also continuing operating and said its fishers would work on staggered shifts so people could follow the distancing rules.
Its office operations would continue remotely.
Honey producer and exporter Comvita would also continue.
Sky Television has confirmed its reliable satellite platform was an essential service and New Zealanders would continue to have access to news, entertainment and sport.
Non-essential services are also updating investors.
The restaurant chain Burger Fuel has confirmed its earnings will be materially affected with all New Zealand restaurants closing for at least four weeks.
Mercury Energy confirmed construction work across its sites would cease, including activity at its Turitea wind farm in Manawatū.
The farm's northern turbines were scheduled to be generating electricity this summer, with the southern turbines to be completed in late 2021.
The geothermal well drilling programme at Rotokawa would also be paused.
Meanwhile, The Warehouse Group remained in a trading halt following the government's confirmation its Red Sheds were not to stay open, despite the Group telling the market earlier in the day, they would.
A number of companies have also postponed dividend payouts. They include Michael Hill Jeweller, Downer and The Colonial Motor Company.
Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:
- See all RNZ Covid-19 news
- What the Level 4 lockdown will mean
- Government clarifies essential services during lockdown
- Covid-19 alert system: What you need to know
- Covid-19 symptoms: What they are and how they make you feel
- Touching your Face: Why do we do it and how to stop
- Scientific hand-washing advice to avoid infection
- Coronavirus: A glossary of terms
