Capacity reduction in the slaughtering industry remains largely an illusion, despite the constant talk of restructuring. Latest indicators of the persistently intense competition for stock and customers are the continuing operation of a lamb killing plant supposed to have shut more than a month ago, another back in action after closure in 1999, and yet another likely to reopen after several years dormancy. ABP's facility at Bathgate in southern Scotland, announced as due for closure in early April and then given a month's reprieve, was still operating as The Grocer went to press. And at Kenilworth, Warwickshire, the plant recently bought from receivers of a crashed slaughtering company by the successful producer-controlled live export business Farmers Ferry is killing again for continental sheepmeat customers and will soon be financially underpinned with a share issue by new holding company Farmers First plc. Again in Scotland, Dutch investor Francis Migo, who has bought catering butcher and game supplier Bain of Tarves from the receiver, also owns the mothballed Dornoch abattoir and is considering reopening it for cattle and sheep slaughter. {{MEAT }}

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