FRESH fears have been raised over the future of a meat company which employs hundreds of people in the Aeron Valley.

Dunbia Meats, the UK’s largest lamb processor, employs 615 people at their Llanybydder abattoir and 176 at a smaller plant in Felinfach.

The Welsh Government gave a £2m grant to help open the Felinfach plant and it is understood that this month Dunbia will not have to repay the money if the factory closes, leading many to fear for its future.

There are also concerns that jobs may go at Llanybydder following the company’s recent merger with Cross Hands-based Dawn Meats.

The Cambrian News has learnt that Jonathan Edwards, MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, and Ceredigion AM Elin Jones were due to attend an “urgent” meeting with a Dunbia representative at the Welsh Assembly yesterday.

Neither were prepared to comment in advance, but a source said: “We don’t have any information and have not been told what they want to discuss, only that it’s urgent. Understandably, we can’t imagine it’s positive news, but we simply don’t know at this point.”

In recent months there has been considerable speculation over the future of the Irish firm.

Back in March, Mr Edwards voiced alarm over unconfirmed reports that up to 10 jobs had been lost at Llanybydder, which fuelled speculation within the meat industry that Dunbia was on the verge of being taken over by a rival company. Dunbia Meats has yet to comment.