Meat plant may axe 160 jobs

Fears were growing today about the possible loss of 160 jobs at a meat plant in Cork.

The board of Dairygold, which is the biggest farmers co-operative in the country, is meeting today to make a decision on the future of the Galtee Meats factory in Mitchelstown.

Around 60 people are employed on the slaughter line and another 70 workers are employed in the plant’s boning hall.

Five large farmers contribute half of the 9,000 pigs slaughtered at the factory each week, with another 50 farmers supplying the rest.

The Irish Farmers' Association said the livelihoods of the pig farmers were at stake because with the closure, they would have nowhere to send their pigs.

IFA National Pigs Committee chairman Pat O’Keefe said: “Glanbia have a slaughtering plant in Roscrea, Co Tipperary and another in Edenderry, Co Offaly.

"But they are all running at 90% to 95% capacity. They would only be able to handle around 2,500 pigs. Where are the other 6,500 pigs going to go?”

The farmers fear that it will cost more to transport their pigs to the remaining slaughtering plants and that the excess capacity will lead to a fall in pig prices.

“There will be less competition for pigs. They will be buying at their own price and they can push you from one week to another. That has already happened in the past,” said Mr O’Keefe.

Mr O’Keefe and around 80 other farmers are in Mallow, Co Cork to lobbying the 60 farming representatives which make up the Dairygold board.

The meeting is taking place in Springford Hall outside Mallow.

The board will be addressed by the company’s chief executive Jerry Henchy, who has mounted an aggressive cost-cutting strategy since he took over last year,

Dairygold has introduced major rationalisation plans which has seen the workforce reduced by 800.

The board’s decision is expected to be announced at around 4pm today.