Poultry Companies Going to the Wall as Retailers Pursue High Margins

Reacting to the closure of Co-operative Poultry Products in Cootehill, IFA National Poultry Committee Chairman Alo Mohan said the Irish poultry industry is in crisis and requires immediate assistance to prevent its total collapse.
Alo Mohan said, “Despite promise after promise from the Government, there is still no Code of Practice in place to regulate the supermarket multiples, who are draining the lifeblood out of the sector. This is the second processing facility to go to the wall in as many months, and primary producers and workers are left high and dry as supermarkets pursue their high margins regardless of the consequences”.

He said, “Poultry producers lay the blame for this closure at the door of the supermarket chains. Unless the retail bosses start to face up to their responsibility and pay a fair price that covers escalating producers’ costs and gives them a margin, the poultry sector will disappear in the Republic of Ireland”.

Mr Mohan said, “It is time for the Government, and specifically the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney and Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton, to move to regulate the sector and stop below-cost purchasing. Otherwise, more job losses are inevitable”.