A judge has stated that the failure of Shannon based Halal meat operator, Asba Meats to pay over €300,000 to a group of farmers for deliveries of cattle and sheep has caused “untold damage” to the family life of those farmers.
At Ennis District Court on Thursday, Judge Adrian Harris made his comment after hearing that €308,897 remains outstanding to the 12 farmers from across the country.
A number of the farmers impacted were in court today to hear that Asba Meats Ltd has pleaded guilty to a number of summons in an unfair trading practices (UTP) prosecution brought by the Agri-Food Regulator concerning an initial amount owed of €576,386 to the farmers.
The animals were supplied to Asba Meats by the farmers on dates mainly across 2023 and 2024.
Solicitor Jonathan Moore of Fieldfisher Ireland LLP for the Agri-Food Regulator told the court today that some monies have been paid off by Asba Meats and the current amount outstanding is €308,987.
At the outset, one south Galway farmer, Denis Heffernan of Loughcurra, Kinvara, Co Galway was owed €243,238 by Asba Meats.
Mr Moore told the court today that €144,156 has since been repaid to Mr Heffernan leaving €91,639 outstanding.
In information provided to the court, Mr Moore said that Fintan Keane, Ballyashee, Kilnamona, Co Clare was owed €119,614 initially and after payments of €57,166 is currently owed €59,662.
Mr Moore told the court “there are very serious concerns over the amount of money involved and the time it has taken for the company to address matters”.
Judge Harris said: “Cumulatively it is a very, very significant amount of money.”
Judge Harris said that the failure to pay the farmers by Asba Meats “has done untold damage to the family life of the farmers in terms of what they could and couldn’t afford”.
Judge Harris said that the court has heard about the financial hardship endured by Asba Meats in recent years but the financial hardship endured by the farmers over the monies not paid “would be much greater as they don’t enjoy millions of euro in revenues each year”.
Judge Harris said that he would not be finalising sentence today in order to allow the outstanding monies to be paid over to the farmers.
Judge Harris said his confidence in Asba Meats abiding by the payment plan has been dented by a payment plan put in place last year that resulted in only partial payment for the farmers.
Judge Harris said that the farmers have been waiting years to be paid and the repayment plan must be complied with it in full.
Solicitor for Asba Meats, Colum Doherty told the court that Asba Meats had strong relations with suppliers and customer and operated from Shannon and in Tiermalane outside Ennis but in 2023 when there was a four month period “where the Dept of Agriculture had issues and there was no kill and the company started to wobble at that stage”.
Mr Doherty said: “The main issue that took place was in 2024 when there was a serious cyber attack on the company and that is where matters came crashing down.”
Mr Doherty said that the cyber attack “completely disrupted and damaged the business”.
Mr Doherty said that this put considerable pressure on the company to operate and a receiver was appointed to the company in September 2025.
Mr Doherty said that the receivership is now complete after a significant payment was made to the receiver
Mr Doherty said: “Despite the challenges the underlying business continues to have substantial commercial potential and is now focused on returning to stable and sustained trading.”
Mr Doherty said that director of the business, Tarequr Rahman Khan – who was in court – and Asba Meats “are fully committed to repaying all outstanding balances”.
Mr Doherty said that a repayment plan has been agreed with the regulator with payments to be made over the next 18 months.
He said that there “are substantial new contracts coming on board and we will be in a position to deal with the matter”.
Co Tyrone farmer, Kieran Dolan was owed €26,104 at the outset and has been paid only €1,000 in part payment leaving an outstanding balance of €25,104.
Speaking outside court after the case on Thursday, Mr Dolan expressed his disappointment with the proceedings in court.
He said: “When we ever go to a mart and buy animals we go into the office and pay that day.”
A clearly upset Mr Dolan said: “And here this man gets three or four years to pay? There is no law there at all. You don’t get three years to pay for things. And there was no talk of interest on the money either.”
Mr Dolan said that he is ‘lucky’ with the amount he is owed commenting “some of these men are owed far more”.
Mr Dolan said that he has “very little confidence” that Mr Khan and Asba Meats will pay all of the outstanding monies.
Mr Dolan commented: “He is smarter than any solicitor in there.”
Another farmer approached for comment replied: “There is no point – it is just an upset to all of us. A financial upset to all of us.”
Judge Harris adjourned the case to September 23rd.
Speaking after the court hearing, CEO of the Agri-Food Regulator, Niamh Lenehan, said on Thursday “today’s outcome is the result of a meticulous process by the staff and legal team of the Regulator. It sends an important message to buyers of agri-food products that, when required, the Agri-Food Regulator will exercise the full extent of its enforcement power.”
The Unfair Trading Regulations provide legal protection to suppliers of agri-food products against 16 specific UTPs.
The scope of agri-food products is extensive and includes agricultural products such as live animals, trees, plants and flowers.
All food products are also defined as agri-food products, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Ms Lenehan continued: “I urge any primary producer and or small agri-food business who feels they may be experiencing or have been subject to an unfair trading practice to contact the Regulator. Suppliers can seek advice and guidance from us about the Regulations, and don’t necessarily need to proceed to make a formal complaint.”
