The Alliance meat company's Christchurch processing plant will resume operations on Monday after closing last week because of the earthquake.
Company spokesperson Kerry Stevens says the Sockburn plant received only minor damage in the quake but was forced to stop processing on Tuesday because of pressure on the city's sewerage system.
He says processing will resume at a reduced rate so that less effluent is produced.
Another meat company, Silver Fern Farms, says its three Canterbury processing plants weren't damaged at all and have kept running.
Chief executive Keith Cooper says, however, that stress levels at the plants are running high as workers deal with the quake and its aftershocks.
Mr Cooper says processing levels at this time of year are low.
