Supermarket chain Shoprite says it will continue to import more meat until it can be reassured of reliable supply from the meat plant.

As the Manx Independent reported on page one last week, the company announced that it had reluctantly decided to increase the amount of imported meat it sells, claiming it had faced ’regular delivery disruption and inconsistent supply’ over the last year.

But Isle of Man Meats, the private company owned by a farmers’ co-operative that runs the abattoir, hit back, saying that Shoprite’s decision was more about protecting its margins.

The retailer has called for a public inquiry into why the island is facing a limited supply of local meat.

In a statement, it said: ’We will review supply levels on an ongoing basis but it is a fixed policy until we are reassured that our customers wâ??ill be able to buy meat of the quality, quantity and maturity that they want. We would like to understand why there is limited supply of local meat available to local tax payers which is why we are calling for a public enquiry. ’

Shoprite stressed it would continue to label Manx meat very clearly so that its customers are able to identify the provenance of the meant they are buying.

It admitted there had been an ’isolated’ incident of incorrect labelling last year when the retailers said it was forced, at very short notice, to import from the UK due to a ’last-minute supply failure’ by Manx Meats.

’This incident highlighted the undue pressure that the business is put under when supply issues occur,’ it said.

Isle of Man Meats’ interim general manager Miles Macpherson, who was brought in try to turn round the Tromode plant’s fortunes, said Shoprite had been seeking significant promotional price cuts for the meat it brought.

’They were still looking for their margin and it was becoming increasingly difficult to supply and become competitive,’ he said. ’We can’t dictate their margin and we can’t dictate where they buy their meat from.’

Mr Macpherson said Shoprite was a major customer in terms of volume but not necessarily in terms of profitability.

’We can survive without them,’ he added.

Trading results for the government-owned abattoir for 2016 remain under wraps, with DEFA officials claiming their disclosure could fuel ’unhelpful speculation’ while the future of the plant remains unresolved.

The government is seeking tenders from operators wishing to take over the running of the facility or provide equivalent services from alternative on-island premises.

Figures for 2015 show the meat plant made a loss of £1,220,441, reduced to £587,941 after payment of the government subsidy of £632,000. The shortfall was met through a reduction in reserves.

Since then, any trading losses have had to be funded in full through the subvention which rose to £1.38m last year. Of that figure, £1.11m was for the 2016 trading year and the balance contributed to the 2017 trading year.

A DEFA spokesman explained that an advance payment was made in December 2016 for 2017 as the meat plant’s cashflow could be exceedingly stretched over the festive and New Year period and it did not have the reserves to sustain it until sales income was received.

Mr Macpherson insisted the plant was now in better shape than last year, both in terms of its finances and its operational efficiency.