The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) hit out at Greencore again today after it emerged that its subsidiary Irish Sugar was de-registered as a public company last August.
The IFA, who were involved in a dispute with Irish Sugar over beet prices that led to the closure of both its plants last year, say the move is an attempt by Greencore to "bury" the accounts of its subsidiary.
Irish Sugar own the only beet reprocessing plants in the country - at Mallow and Carlow - and the IFA describes the company as a private monopoly.
The chairman of the IFA’s sugar beet section Mr Willie French, today called on the Tánaiste, Ms Mary Harney, as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to compel the Greencore Group to continue to present separate audited accounts for Irish Sugar.
"Obviously, it is Greencore’s intention to remove the Irish Sugar monopoly from public scrutiny, and to refuse to disclose its major contribution to the Group’s profits," Mr French claimed today.
"The Group’s annual report for 2001 does not show for the first time separate profits for its sugar division, which in 2000 were reported at €35m euro profit - equivalent to an 18 per cent margin," he added.
Greencore, whose annual general meeting begins tomorrow, declined the opportunity to comment when contacted by ireland.com.
