Bernard Matthews closes Lincs farms

BRITAIN’S MOST famous turkey producer plans to close a number of its Lincolnshire farms because of pressure from cheap imports.

Norfolk-based Bernard Matthews recently closed one of its meat processing factories in Great Witchingham, Norfolk, and says it now has to make cuts at producer level.

Though it has refused to say which ones, it has warned that the smallest farms will bear the brunt.

David Joll, managing director of the family-owned firm, said: “We are making changes to production in the UK as it is no longer possible to be competitive selling meat to other businesses, due to imports.

“However, this does not affect Bernard Matthews’ branded products at all. As a result, some Lincolnshire Farms, in particular the smaller ones, are closing, with production concentrated within Norfolk and Suffolk.”

Poultry producers were coming under increasing pressure from cheap imports, particularly from Brazil, according to Maria Ball, NFU poultry adviser.

Britain produced 14m birds last year but imported some 9m from elsewhere in the EU and Brazil.