Murray Goulburn to can 60 distribution staff

Murray Goulburn, which has been seeking a suitor to buy it out after a turbulent year of business, said it was reshaping it’s logistics operation to cut costs and provide its farmers with better farmgate prices.

“It is expected that 60 tanker operator roles will be affected in Koroit, Leongatha, Maffra and Rochester and a number of support roles​,” it said in a statement.

“To minimise the impacts on our people, we will be seeking to make changes to rosters and offering voluntary redundancies in the first instance​.”

Though the move was “regrettable​”, the co-operative said it was necessary for it to ensure sustainable returns for its suppliers.

The announcement comes after it announced in May that it would close manufacturing facilities in Rochester and Kiewa in northern Victoria, and Edith Creek in Tasmania at the cost of 360 jobs.

The Rochester facility is set to close early next year and Kiewa in the second half of 2018.