Australia-JBS-Swift take it on the chin.

AUSTRALIA-CUTTING DOWN THE TALL POPPY.

A Tasmanian sheepskin importer has used a Senate inquiry to accuse processing company JBS Swift of moving to control the local meat and skin market.

Tasmanian hides merchant Cuthbertson Brothers has called on the Senate Select Committee to ask the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate.

Four weeks ago Cuthbertson complained that JBS Swift had locked its representatives out of the Longford abattoir and had been unfairly pricing sheepskins.

Cuthbertsons gave evidence today to a senate committee investigating agriculture and food production in Australia.

The company’s manager Wayne Jones said JBS Swift was the biggest meat company in the world and had deliberately and unfairly pushed Cuthbertsons out of the skins market.

As a result of the Longford abattoir lock-out, Mr Jones said the estimated loss from the local economy was $10 million and 20 jobs were at risk.

The committee chair Senator Bill Heffernan was disappointed that Swift would not appear before the inquiry.