Covid-19: Corona beer stops brewing for now

Two Mexican brewers, including the producers of Corona beer, have said they are reducing production because of the health emergency in the country over the Covid-19 pandemic.

Grupo Modelo - whose brands include Pacifico and Modelo as well as Corona - said the measure was in line with the Mexican government's order to suspend all non-essential activities until April 30 to slow the spread of coronavirus.

"We are in the process of lowering production at our plants to the bare minimum," the company said in a statement on Thursday, adding it would complete the suspension in the following days.

Dutch-Mexican brewer Heineken Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma - which makes the Tecate and Dos Equis brands - likewise said Friday it was "executing a plan to reduce our operations... safeguarding care for the environment and with the sole objective of avoiding irreversible effects that could make it impossible to reactivate our economic activity."

Mexico's government has said that only key sectors such as agribusiness will be able to continue to function under current restrictions.

Grupo Modelo said it was ready to operate with 75% of its staff working remotely to guarantee the supply of beer, if the government agreed.