Turkish food factory to continue production under quarantine

ÇANAKKALE

A canned food and ready-made sandwich company in the northwestern province of Çanakkale will maintain production while all the workers will be kept under quarantine on its premises for two weeks.

“Measures to protect our employees’ health against the COVID-19 pandemic at our company’s factory in Çanakkale are being implemented strictly,” Dardanel said in a statement to the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) yesterday.

“Thus, there has been no disruption to our production activities,” it added.

The company went on to say that all employees will be under observation even during off-work hours in a “closed circuit working system” for 14 days.

The statement was interpreted by local media as a confirmation of reports saying that some Dardanel workers were tested positive for COVID-19.

“According to a decision by the Public Hygiene Board of the governor’s office in Çanakkale, employees at the Dardanel factory have been put under quarantine,” city newspaper Kalem said.

All workers will stay in the barracks within the factory complex between yesterday and Aug. 9, it added, quoting from an e-mail sent to the employees.

“All annual leaves have been suspended. Unless an official medical report is handed in; all personnel are obliged to come to work. Against the possibility of COVID-19 contraction through contact, previous isolation decisions for individuals have been lifted with the new enforcement, and they have been put under managed quarantine,” read the e-mail.

Those employees violating the decision of the Public Hygiene Board will be fined 3,150 Turkish Liras ($460) and brought to the factory by law enforcement officers, it also said.

Dardanel also said that all accommodation, food and other service costs will be covered by the company for two weeks, urging the workers to bring personal belongings, such as clothes and towels, with them.

Founded in 1984, Dardanel was Turkey’s first canned tuna fish producer. From the 1990s, its product range expanded from the “Dardanel Ton” canned tuna to other canned foods and ready-made sandwiches.

It has been listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange since 1994.

The company reported sales worth 211 million liras ($30.7 million) in the first quarter of this year with an annual increase of 91 percent. Its net profit was 64 million liras ($9.3 million) in the same period.

Dardanel’s CEO Mehmet Önen said in April that the company’s sales tripled during the pandemic period, forcing the company to increase production capacity 50 percent and employment 30 percent.