Kepak meat plant closure not a result of protests – Beef Plan rep
Last years beef protests were not behind the closure of a Clare meat factory, Clare Beef Plan representative, Joe Woulfe has said.
Kepak staff were told on last week that the plant would close for four to six weeks, due to “challenging market conditions.
The plant had been picketed for several weeks last year in a nationwide dispute over beef prices. However, Mr Woulfe said the protest was not a mistake.
Speaking to Clare FM he blamed the closure on Brexit and beef imports to the EU market.
He said the protests were as a result of farmers not having an income from the product people consume.
“If he (the farmer) doesn’t have an income he won’t be creating the product, the effect of that would be that factories close because they need beef in order to process,” he added.
Mr Woulfe called on the company to arrange an urgent meeting with representatives of farming bodies such as Beef Plan, the IFA and the Independent Farmers of Ireland to discuss the implications of this closure.
“This is a blow to the farming community. When the plant closes, farmers will have to travel to Rathkeale, Ballinasloe and Charleville to get their cattle killed,” he said.
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