Zimbabwe assures Nestlé on safety after shutdown

Zimbabwe has reassured food giant Nestlé on the safety of its staff after a dispute on buying milk from President Robert Mugabe’s farm prompted the firm to suspend operations, a minister said on Friday.

Industry minister Welshman Ncube said he had met with Nestlé Zimbabwe and national dairy officials who agreed that the milk from Gushungo Dairies, owned by Mugabe’s family, should be bought by local processors.

Nestlé in October stopped buying milk from the Mugabe farm, which was seized from white farmers under his controversial land reforms.

“For its part, government has given its assurance on the safety of staff and management at both Nestlé Zimbabwe and Gushungo Dairies,” Ncube said.

“As a result of those consultations, the parties have
collectively reached an understanding to work together in ensuring that milk produced at Gushungo Dairies is absorbed by the local dairy processors.”

Nestlé Zimbabwe chairperson Kumbirai Katsande confirmed having met with Ncube and other government officials.

“We met with the government and did receive a letter from government and relayed its contents to the company principals,” said Katsande.

“We have responded to the minister’s letter,” Katsande said, declining to give further details.

The Swiss-based food giant, the world’s largest, said Zimbabwean government officials and police made an “unannounced visit” to the plant on Saturday, forcing staff to take delivery of a tanker of milk from non-contracted suppliers, apparently from Mugabe’s farm.

On Monday, Nestlé shut down its Harare factory.

Mugabe has made no comment on the incident. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, his partner in a strained unity government, said Nestlé had over-reacted in shutting down the plant.