Senedd hears food processing industry ‘in managed decline'
'And it doesn't just apply to Wales, [it's] right across the whole country, but I think it's particularly significant here: the decline in livestock numbers, the projections and, dare I say, the attitude and the desire… in the Welsh Government to actually drive a further reduction.'
Mr Allen said: 'Big investors and employers in Wales are incredibly concerned about the future: more than concerned, I'd say incredibly depressed about what the future holds.'
He warned: 'Unfortunately, it seems endemic within civil servants that they don't really want to help industry and work with them. They seem to almost [act] as a police force to stop us doing things rather than thinking 'this is what's good for the country'.'
Mr Allen, who has been involved in discussions since the controversial sustainable farming scheme was paused by ministers, suggested the dial has barely moved in the months since. He described ministers' approach to bluetongue disease as 'another nail in the coffin'.
José Peralta, chief executive of Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion Wales, said livestock numbers have dropped significantly and will likely continue to fall.
Giving evidence on June 2, he warned: 'That poses a big question mark about how do we carry on in the future with an industry that remains competitive.'
Kepak, a family owned business which runs a beef and lamb processing site in Merthyr Tydfil, employing 1,000 people, raised urgent and grave concerns about livestock numbers.
In its written evidence, the company said: 'The efficiency and viability of our operations and the jobs that we provide rely on a critical mass of livestock.'
Asked about the Welsh Government's 2021 vision for the industry, Mr Peralta said: 'It's a set of very nice and good aims but I struggle to see sometimes what's underneath that's going to drive all the different elements to get to that final aim.'
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