Farmer-owned SunRice is battening down the hatches and planning job cuts less than two months out from a critical shareholder voting on plans to list part of the food business on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
SunRice confirmed this season's depleted planting, of less than 30,000 hectares, was too small for its current milling program. The company will lay off more than 40 staff in April, most likely cutting milling and packaging operations at Leeton and Deniliquin. SunRice chief executive Rob Gordon said the company was still well positioned to manage crop variations, sourcing rice overseas.
A "reconfiguration" of Riverina operations from late April would focus on minimising job losses; all options to retain as many people as possible were being explored, including re-locating staff, job sharing and temporary leave.
