The closure of the Humpty Dumpty potato-chip plant in Summerside has P.E.I. Development Minister Richard Brown concerned about the province's investment there.
The plant's 36 employees were told this week they'd be out of work by May. When it opened in 1996, the province put up $5 million in financing, and also built a waste-water line that it leases to the company.
"That's a major asset of ours, for my department as a matter of fact, and that's going to affect revenues in my department.
"We're disappointed. They say they're keeping the administration jobs here, I hope they do. There's the jobs of the farmers who had income coming in there. And the spinoff from this company, it is a loss to the P.E.I. economy."
The plant processed 11 million kilograms of potatoes a year.
A company spokesperson cites market conditions, increasing costs and the value of the U.S. dollar as contributing factors.
Humpty Dumpty chips will still be available on P.E.I., but they'll be processed at the company's other plants in Winnipeg, Montreal and Hartland, N.B.
