Silver Fern Farms has confirmed nearly 250 workers at a meat plant near Christchurch will lose their jobs.
Employees were told of the company's plan to close two slaughter chains at the Canterbury Plant near Belfast last month.
Silver Fern Farms, formerly PPCS, says the redundancies will now go ahead.
It blames a fall in sheep and lamb numbers for the cuts. Job losses include 225 processing and 24 administration positions.
About 70 people made redundant will be offered redeployment to other slaughter chains at the site, or at two other plants nearby.
