❓ Hon. Colin de Grussa asks the Minister for Agriculture and Food about the closure of the Minerva Foods meat processing plant at Shark Lake. The Minister confirms a briefing from DPIRD and expresses disappointment, noting limited impact on state processing capacity.
AnsweredQoN 1019Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MINERVA FOODS
1019. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I
refer to reports of the closure of the meat processing plant operated at Shark
Lake near Esperance by Minerva Foods.
(1) Has the
minister received a briefing on the status of the plant from either the
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development or Minerva Foods?
(2) If so, when was the minister
briefed?
(3) What actions is DPIRD
undertaking to —
(a) assess the impacts on the
livestock producers that utilised the facility; and
(b) identify
alternative processing options, given current processing capacity constraints
and prevailing market conditions?
1019. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I
refer to reports of the closure of the meat processing plant operated at Shark
Lake near Esperance by Minerva Foods.
(1) Has the
minister received a briefing on the status of the plant from either the
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development or Minerva Foods?
(2) If so, when was the minister
briefed?
(3) What actions is DPIRD
undertaking to —
(a) assess the impacts on the
livestock producers that utilised the facility; and
(b) identify
alternative processing options, given current processing capacity constraints
and prevailing market conditions?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) DPIRD
provided a briefing to me this week. I have requested a meeting with the
operators of the Shark Lake abattoir.
(3) (a)–(b)
It is disappointing that Minerva Foods has made a commercial decision to
suspend operations at the Shark Lake facility. I am aware that other processors
have increased operations to reduce the impact on WA sheep producers. Although
the closure of the Shark Lake facility will have an impact on the Esperance
community, it is not expected to have a significant impact on the state's
red meat processing capacity as the Shark Lake operation was relatively small.
of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) DPIRD
provided a briefing to me this week. I have requested a meeting with the
operators of the Shark Lake abattoir.
(3) (a)–(b)
It is disappointing that Minerva Foods has made a commercial decision to
suspend operations at the Shark Lake facility. I am aware that other processors
have increased operations to reduce the impact on WA sheep producers. Although
the closure of the Shark Lake facility will have an impact on the Esperance
community, it is not expected to have a significant impact on the state's
red meat processing capacity as the Shark Lake operation was relatively small.
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