An action plan to secure the immediate future of Scotland’s poultry sector will be produced by Christmas, the Scottish Government confirmed today.
The vision will identify new market opportunities for Scottish-bred chicken to help those farmers hit by a restructuring at the country’s main processing site run by the 2 Sisters at Coupar Angus, where 200 jobs are also under threat.
The firm has also sold a smaller processing site at Letham, near Forfar, to a private consortium that will focus on halal slaughter. That deal should eventually see throughput nearly double.
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said the government was committed to assisting the producer group it has set up for growers hit by the changes, which will reduce the number of birds killed weekly at Coupar Angus and responsibility for production handed by 2 Agriculture, a sister business to the processor.
The action plan also involves work to encourage greater collaboration in the poultry supply chain and efforts to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
Producers are due to meet again this afternoon at Oldmeldrum’s Lochter Activity Centre to be updated on talks held on Friday afternoon between Mr Lochhead and the poultry sector. There will be representatives at that meeting from 2 Sisters and 2 Agri, which last week also issue redundancy notices to staff at its Inverurie hatchery.
Mr Lochhead said the decision by 2 Sisters to reduce short-term production had severe implications for the poultry chain, including feed businesses, grain growers and hauliers. “To protect the future of the industry in Scotland, it is imperative we avoid a similar situation arising where we have one dominant player in the supply chain,” he said.
“The bottom line is that there is enough demand in Scotland for chicken to keep these producers in business – consumers want to buy Scottish chicken and a number of retailers are committed to stocking it.
“So we are committed to finding a solution to the situation our poultry industry is facing.”
NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller hinted after a meeting of producers last week that the industry might look to invest to secure its future, provided there was government support.
He said last night that producers had gone through some dark and difficult days in the last fortnight but there was now an energy developing to support future growth, which could secure investment and maintain a critical mass of production in Scotland.
He added: “It is crucial that all stakeholders buy into this Scottish chicken development plan and move it forward quickly.”