Thousands of tonnes of peas may go to waste after receivers closed down operations at a massive pea processing plant.

Albert Fisher's Kings Lynn factory closed after the company went into receivership two weeks ago.

Pea harvesting is due to begin in three weeks and crops are said to be looking healthy, but the crop dedicated to Fisher's factory – which normally processes 30 per cent of the UK pea crop – may have to be fed to animals instead of being harvested for frozen goods.

If the factory does not reopen farmers will have to look elsewhere to sell their crops, and if no other factory takes them on, the peas will be used as animal food meaning farmers get a considerably lower return.

Supermarkets are now considering alternative pea suppliers. Sainsbury's said it would be able to source more peas from other suppliers if the factory remained shut.

However, Mike Attew, chairman of Aylesham Growers in Norfolk, said the situation was 'very worrying'. He added he had 1,500 tonnes of French beans also destined for the Kings Lynn factory which 'I can't do anything else with'.

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