![]() Mr Patmore said the WA sheep industry needed “all the competition it could get” within the processing sector, especially at a time when the Federal Government was working to phase out live sheep export. Credit: Shannon Verhagen /Albany Advertiser Camera Icon Eneabba sheep farmer Chris Patmore. “It’s disappointing to see a reduction in sheep processing in WA,” Mr Patmore said. Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA Livestock Committee chair and Eneabba sheep producer Chris Patmore said the MFA decision highlighted how difficult it was to operate an abattoir. The Esperance facility had the capacity to process about 9000 lambs a week, while 5000 head could also be processed at Tammin, with 90 per cent of the total product exported predominantly to the Middle East. The South American owned MFA is expected to fulfil all existing meat orders through its operations at the Great Eastern Abattoir at Tammin and Colac in Victoria. He said staff would be redeployed to other facilities within the MFA group, where possible, with “a small number taking up redundancies”. Mr Mars closed the plant on September 11, about 14 months after opening it as part of a joint venture with the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company, which was a surprise to its 150 employees as well as WA suppliers. Camera Icon Iain Mars, chief executive of Minerva Foods Asia Credit: Jenne Brammer /West Australian ![]() ![]() Mr Kenney said the sudden decision by MFA would remove much needed “cashflow” from his normal spring operation. “We’ll also be able to shear them as they’ll have about eight months wool by then.” “At least we have sufficient feed and water on hand to carry them through,” Mr Kenney said. He feared by the time he found alternative processing they would have become hoggets, worth $60 per head less than if sold as lambs. Salmon Gums mixed farmer Greg Kenney said he had 500 lambs scheduled for processing at the facility next week an would have to “hold them on-farm” through the summer. Mr Vandenberghe said producers found WAMMCO at Katanning was “booked out” and they have had to freight sheep to V&V Walsh at Bunbury, pushing up transport costs by $5-$7 per head. Camera Icon ASHEEP chair David Vandenberghe.
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