GASTRONOME , the poultry processing arm of French agri-food co-operative, Terrena , has announced plans to close its plant in Luche-Pringe, in western France.

The plant processes and packages poultry cutlets as well as ready meals and employs 165 workers. Jobs will be offered to staff at plants within the Terrena group.

Gastronome has lost an estimated EUR53m (US$66.9m) over the past four years as over-capacity in France’s poultry sector has worsened. The plant is currntly only operating at half of its full production capacity.

Management said the closure, scheduled for the middle of next year, was unavoidable if the future of Gastronome was to be preserved.