Marine / Competition regulator paves way for salmon farm deal to go ahead
SCOTTISH Sea Farms’ £164 million purchase of Grieg Seafood Hjaltland UK is set to be completed after it was approved by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
It is anticipated that the deal will be concluded as early as the year-end.
In June Scottish Sea Farms signed an agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the shares in Grieg Seafood Hjaltland UK from Grieg Seafood ASA.
Included in the deal are the company’s freshwater hatchery, processing facility and 21 marine farms around the Shetland Islands and Isle of Skye which, combined, produced approximately 16,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon in 2020.
For many years, Scottish Sea Farms has been the other main player in the local salmon farming industry, and this move now means that the vast majority of salmon growing sites in Shetland are owned by one company.
Commenting on the CMA announcement, Scottish Sea Farms managing director Jim Gallagher said: “This is hugely positive news that promises farmers from both companies greater opportunity than ever before to create the best growing conditions, working collectively as one team with regards to the key factors of fish health, stocking regimes and sea lice management.
“This, in turn, will enable us to offer customers a more secure and stable supply of premium quality Scottish farmed salmon.”
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