WA Meat abattoirs sold to UAE buyer

The Iranian businessman who recently bought five WA abattoirs has sold the full portfolio to a company in the United Arab Emirates, a move which will create more demand for local livestock.

Although it was WA Meat Company founder MahmoudParastesh’s intention also to buy farmland and create a substantial paddock-to-plate business, he received a highly attractive, unsolicited offer for the portfolio of five processing facilities based across regional WA from the UAE buyer, whose name will be kept confidential until after settlement on March 12.

WA Meat Co spokeswoman Keely Duggan said the new owner, which had its own customer base in the UAE, had stated intentions to continue Mr Parastesh’s plans of getting all facilities operational, and processing big volumes of chilled lamb and beef for export.

Processed lamb was expected to amount to 85 tonnes daily under Mr Parastesh’s business plan for WA Meat Co.

Mr Parastesh’s buying spree late last year included Beaufort River Meats, acquired from Wellard, and Goodchild at Australind, which went into administration last year.

Others were the Gingin Abattoir, from prominent pastoralist Jack Burton and the former Clover Meats of Waroona, from billionaire Gina Rinehart who gained the mothballed facility as part of a pastoral transaction.

Also included is the Geraldton Meatworks, previously owned by Chinese interests.

The Gingin, Geraldton and Waroona facilities had not been operational for at least five years, but after extensive investment by Mr Parastesh in upgrading facilities and getting the international licence, the Gingin plant should be running by March, a condition of the purchase.

Mr Parastesh is not expected to remain at WA Meat Co.