The Farmers' Union of Wales today slammed a leading supermarket chain for dropping a major Welsh lamb processing plant from its list of suppliers and putting hundreds of jobs under threat.
The union's president Emyr Jones said farmers were extremely concerned that Asda, a key customer of Welsh Country Foods at Gaerwen on Anglesey, had decided to source its lamb from an alternative supplier.
Mr Jones has written to Asda's chief executive Andy Clarke and the Welsh Government's deputy agriculture minister Alun Davies seeking urgent talks on the situation which "represents a severe blow for the local economy and the 350 members of staff working at the plant”.
Mr Jones said the announcement has wide-ranging repercussions for the Welsh food and farming industry as a whole and could have a major knock-on effect on the marketing of Welsh produce by Hybu Cig Cymru due to reduced levy payments in Wales.
He urged the Welsh Government to do all it can to help seek an equitable outcome for the sake of the island of Anglesey and the Welsh food and farming industry as a whole.
Mr Jones has called on Asda to reconsider its decision and seeks a meeting with Mr Clarke to discuss the issue which he will also raise at a pre-planned meeting in Cardiff with Mr Davies next Wednesday.
Anglesey beef and sheep farmer Dafydd Roberts, chairman of the FUW's livestock, wool and marts committee, said: “Welsh Country Foods is the only major processing facility for Welsh lamb in North Wales, handling 640,000 lambs per annum, and any loss of processing will therefore be a blow to the local economy and the community in Anglesey.
“Hopefully, discussions with Asda with lead to a change in their decision but if not then it will be imperative to attract new customers to the site. It is important that a negative impact on jobs and the local economy is minimised.”