Quality Meat Scotland grants Brechin temporary derogation
A decision to grant a temporary derogation from Brechin abattoir has been announced by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).
The derogation will allow some pigs which would have been processed at Brechin to be processed at a plant south of the border and remain eligible for the Specially Selected Pork brand.
QMS has been working closely with representatives of Quality Pork Limited (QPL), Tulip Ltd, Scottish Pig Producers (SSP) and Scotlean to support the pork industry to minimise the disruption caused by the on-going shortage of carbon dioxide.
The Brechin abattoir run by QPL – a collaboration involving SPP, Scotlean and Tulip (its customer) – is currently unable to operate as a result of the acute shortage of CO2.
Alan Clarke, chief executive of QMS, said: “QPL made us aware of the challenges they anticipated at an early stage and have kept us updated daily on the position at the Brechin plant.
“While every effort has been made by QPL to secure supplies of CO2, the plant ran out and processing has had to stop.”
Alan Clarke, chief executive of QMS.
The derogation is subject to strict conditions and will be reviewed weekly.
As well as sending some pigs south of the border for slaughter, QPL has also introduced other contingency measures.
These include working in collaboration with other pork production companies in Scotland which are now taking some of the pigs previously destined for Brechin.
Clarke continues: “The processing capacity at Brechin accounts for around two-thirds of the pigs slaughtered in Scotland and QMS is keen to support the Scottish pig and pork industry to limit the impact of the temporary closure of this abattoir
“It is particularly unfortunate that the Brechin plant has faced this challenge so soon after the re-opening of the site which had to be closed as a result of a fire last year.”
“Our decision to grant a temporary derogation reflects that exceptional situation and has been taken in the best interests of the Scottish pig industry and the Specially Selected Pork brand.”
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