Western Australia’s livestock industry has been dealt another blow with a key sheep abattoir shuttered pending a review by its owners.
Minerva Foods Australia (MFA) has ceased operations of its abattoir at Tammin, 180 kilometres east of Perth, to conduct a review of operations and determine further investment needs.
The company, which is jointly owned by its Brazilian parent company and Saudi Arabia’s Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company, purchased Tammin as well as the Shark Lake Abattoir near Esperance in August 2021.
The Shark Lake facility operated for two years before closing subject to a review in 2023.
Minerva Foods Australia has shut the doors of its Tammin abattoir to conduct a review of operations. (Supplied: Google Maps)
In a statement, MFA chief executive Jason McPhail said the company had undertaken extensive renewal of the Tammin abattoir in the three years it had operated the facility.
“MFA has taken the decision to undertake a review of operations at Tammin to fully analyse what further investment is needed,” he said.
“Where possible, staff will be redeployed to other facilities in the MFA group with a small number taking up redundancies.
“All existing meat orders will be fulfilled by MFA through their operations in Victoria.”
The closure further limits available processing options for sheep producers in WA. (ABC Rural: Laurissa Smith)
Analysts say closure reflects negative trend
Livestock industry analyst Matt Dalgleish said the Tammin plant closure reflected the broader challenges facing the WA sheep industry.
He said the state’s sheep flock had shrunk by a third over the past two years due to producers leaving the industry, making it harder for abattoirs like Minerva to access sufficient animals to process.
“I can’t see it opening again in the near term, not with the flock heading towards eight million head,” Mr Dalgleish said.
“This is part of the outcome of that decision and it stems from the government’s decision to close the live export trade.”
Mr Dalgleish says the closure reflects the broader challenges in the WA sheep industry. (ABC Rural: Jane McNaughton)
Asked about the closure during a media appearance in Perth, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was a commercial matter for the operator.
“It’s a processing facility, not a live export facility,” Mr Albanese said.
“The truth is that sheep meat exports are rising at the same time live exports have been in decline.
“We’ve been very clear, been to multiple elections and provided certainty by providing that time frame going forward.”
Elders WA commercial sheep manager Wayne Peake said while the industry had anticipated the move, the closure had happened sooner than expected.
“It really brings to light where we are at with our numbers,” Mr Peake said.
“We’re coming into another mating season now on the back of lower numbers once again, so there are going to be fewer lambs around next year.
“We have got a shortage now, which none of us have ever seen at this time of the year, and it is going to be a long haul for the larger abattoirs let alone the smaller processors.”
