One of Australia’s top poultry companies, Baiada Poultry Pty Limited, has announced it is to end meat processing at its plant at Laverton North, near Melbourne in the state of Victoria in March.
According to ABC Online, the move will leave 16 broiler growers without a contract. These producers supply around 270,000 birds per week to Baiada for its brands, Steggles and Lilydale Free Range Chicken.
The plant will remain open as a distribution hub, but 100 jobs will go.
“Unfortunately, market conditions require us to consolidate our national processing operations meaning we could no longer viably operate the Laverton processing facility in the medium to long term,” said Simon Camilleri, the company’s managing director.
According to National Union of Workers spokesman, Alex Snowball, the company has suffered as the result of a supermarket chicken price war against its main rival, Inghams.
Representing the broiler growers affected by the plant closure, Victorian Farmers Federation spokesman, Allan Bullen, said many are looking into alternative enterprises.
Exactly 100 years since its founding by Celestino (Charlie) Baiada, the company is still privately owned by the Baiada family.
A week ago, it was announced that the largest poultry company in Australia, Ingham’s Enterprises Pty. Ltd., is set to list on the Australian Stock Exchange next month.
