SFF quiet on cost critique

Dissecting the detail in the Meat Industry Excellence-commissioned report, Professor Keith Woodford says figures provided by report authors GHD indicate SFF’s sheep processing costs it $38.26/head – $6.17 more than Alliance and $10.01 over “industry cost leader” Ovation.

“No company can be competitive if it is at a $6 per head disadvantage,” writes Woodford in his blog (http://keithwoodford.wordpress.com).

 While he says it has to be asked whether the costs are accurate, he also reasons that if the figures are not accurate, why would GHD risk its reputation by presenting them?

“Given that Silver Fern Farms processes over five million sheep per annum, it apparently puts them at a disadvantage of more than $30 million on their processing operations. That is a lot to make up through superior marketing,” says Woodford.

Nor does the problem appear to be one of throughput: looking at the three main sheep processors (combined market share 67% in 2013-14), SFF’s capacity utilisation was 49%, Alliance’s 46% and Affco’s 37%.

ANZCO and Ovation, with a combined market share of 17%, are at 51% and 53% utilisation, respectively, while the seven single-chain operators, with a combined market share of 16%, average 63%.

“So in terms of plant utilisation, small is indeed beautiful,” concludes Woodford.

In a follow-up blog on beef, Woodford finds “once again, Silver Fern Farms appears to be one of the laggards, but it is not there by itself....

“Instead, there is evidence that most of the companies have a mix of high cost and lower cost plants, with the best quartile of facilities having labour costs about 25% lower than the rest.”

Despite that and evidence SFF’s beef operating costs are similar to many other companies’, it is inevitable much of the focus will be on SFF, says Woodford. “This is the company that has been struggling the most, in part because of its sheep operations. It is also the company that is currently seeking $100 million new capital.”

SFF told Rural News it would not comment because of that ongoing and confidential capital raising process.

Woodford also recognised the sensitive timing of his commentary.

“If Silver Fern Farms cannot counter with data to show that GHD has got the numbers wrong, or that GHD is not comparing like to like, then the challenge to get investors has just increased.”