Concern is growing over the future of the Galtee Meats pig slaughtering operations at Mitchelstown in Cork where it is feared that an announcement may be made today that the plant could be about to close with the loss of 130 jobs.

Some 100 pig producers met yesterday at the Firgrove Hotel in Mitchelstown to discuss the situation and they later marched to Dairygold headquarters in the town where the Irish Farmers' Association pigs committee chairman, Mr Pat O'Keeffe, handed in a letter for chief executive Mr Jerry Henchy.

In the letter, Mr O'Keeffe called on Mr Henchy to stand by personal commitments that he has given to consult and discuss with pig producers before taking any decision regarding the future of the plant, which slaughters 9,000-10,000 pigs a week.

Mr O'Keeffe - who is also a Galtee Meats supplier - outlined producers concerns in his letter to Mr Henchy, who is expected to make an announcement at a meeting of the new 60 board committee of Dairygold at Springfort Hall near Doneraile this afternoon.

"Producers value the personal commitments you have repeatedly given in the past regarding a full and open discussion of Galtee's future prior to any final decision and they expect you to deliver on this commitment," Mr O'Keeffe stated in his letter.

"A presentation to suppliers on the future of Galtee after a decision has been taken by the board and management will not be acceptable now or in the future," wrote Mr O'Keeffe.

He added that any decision should involve full, transparent and open discussion.

Fears for the future of the Galtee Meats plant, which opened in the 1960s, have increased amid rumours that vets who inspect animals brought for slaughter have been told that they won't be required as and from August 20th.

It is believed that, if Galtee closes the pig slaughtering and boning unit at the Mitchelstown plant, pigs previously killed in the north Cork town will instead be brought to either Roscrea or Edenderry where Glanbia has slaughtering facilities.

Yesterday Mr O'Keeffe said that closure of the plant - which would also involve the loss of up to 28 veterinary jobs between full-time and part-time posts - would be a huge blow to the local economy.

"There's been no confirmation that the plant is either staying open or closing but, if it were to close, it would be a huge blow to the area," he said.

He added that the 130 jobs contributed about €7 million a year to the area in wages.

"As well as that it would have a huge effect on pig producers - not just in north Cork but as far away as west Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick and Waterford - it would put huge pressure on small producers who supply between 40 and 100 pigs a week to Galtee," he said.

Some 50 per cent of the 10,000 or so pigs slaughtered at Galtee Meats each week are supplied by five producers, including Mr O'Keeffe.