South Australian potato growers disappointed with sale of McCain Penola facility to beef company

In South Australia, McCain has sold its former potato processing factory at Penola to a meat processor, to the dismay of some local growers.

Meat company Midfield Group has purchased the plant, which ceased operation last year.

The deal has come as a surprise to growers, who were negotiating with McCains to buy the facility themselves.

The farmers currently rely on the site for storage.

Potatoes SA chief executive Robbie Davis says the growers are incredibly disappointed.

"They had formed a consortium to purchase the site.

"The consortium had worked on this for probably a period of ten months," she said.

"They lost that fight at the eleventh hour."