Scottish NFU call for Scottish Government help after Aberdeenshire abattoir closes
Up to 90 job losses following closure of Scotbeef site in Inverurie
The closure of Inverurie's Scotbeef abattoir is a major blow, according to a farming boss. The facility shut down yesterday with an estimated loss of up to 90 jobs. NFU Scotland president Andrew Connon isn't surprised, given the current climate.
He said : "We've continually warned the Scottish Government we need confidence in our sector and also the supply chain over the years. We need to see better prices to maintain our livestock numbers, otherwise the actual viability of the abattoir sector could be threatened - and here we have a results as of yesterday."
Agriculture minister's regret over closure
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said: Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said: “I was sorry to hear about the closure of the Scotbeef facility in Inverurie.”
“The people affected by this announcement are our immediate priority. In the unfortunate event of any individuals facing redundancy the Scottish Government will do everything in its power to help those affected through our initiative for responding to potential redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment. Through providing bespoke skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time individuals affected by redundancy are out of work.”
Scotbeef cite "sustained challenges"
A spokesperson for Scotbeef Inverurie said: “Despite our best efforts to address the sustained challenges within the UK meat and beef industry over the past 18 months, we have unfortunately taken the difficult decision to close our Inverurie site. This follows a comprehensive operational review which concluded that closure is necessary to protect the long-term future of the business.
“Decisions such as these are never easy, and we understand that there will be a significant impact on our staff, many of whom have shown loyalty and commitment to the business over many years. A redundancy process is now underway, and we shall ensure that all affected employees are fully supported throughout this period.”