Silver Fern confirms cuts, plant closure

Silver Fern Farms, the South Island meat company that went public last year by putting its shares on the Unlisted platform, plans to close plants in Canterbury with the loss of up to 174 jobs as it strips out surplus capacity.

The Dunedin-based meat processor said it has begun consultation with workers at its Canterbury and Belfast plants and plans to make a final decision on the closures by June 25.

The closures would affect its Canterbury lamb cutting plant its rendering and casings unit at Belfast, as well as a restructure of its coldstores at Belfast, the company said in a statement today.