Abattoir owner JBS Australia told workers on Tuesday that a temporary closure announced in April would become permanent.

JBS director and head of corporate and regulatory John Berry said the move had been sparked by a lack of throughput.

“There’s just simply a shortage of livestock; with seasonal conditions producers have held back and flock sizes have diminished,” Mr Berry said.

“It’s just not a Cobram issue, there’s several lamb plants that have closed down in recent months.

“These businesses need several thousand head of lambs a day to ensure processing is maintained.

“You can’t turn this business on and off and the workers understand that.”

Mr Berry said the 195 that remain of the 300 who were stood down in April would receive severance packages on October 23.

He said opportunities for staff to work at the other JBS sites had been offered.

A skeleton crew will remain at the plant for maintenance.

Ovens Valley MLA Tim McCurdy said he was very concerned for the workers and noted JBS also shut Yarrawonga’s abattoir in 2012.

He compared the situation to that faced by the Kiewa Valley with the demise of the Murray Goulburn dairy.

Coincidentally milk formerly processed at Kiewa is now being trucked to Murray Goulburn’s Cobram factory.

Mr McCurdy said the Cobram community, like Kiewa, does not want a factory to remain idle if there are potential buyers.

“I would like to see some government investment or opportunities to offset some of the job losses,” Mr McCurdy said.