Canadian Prairie Garden Puree Products (CPGPP), based at the Food Development Centre in Portage la Prairie, has been put into receivership by its creditors.

This according to documents from the Queen’s Bench Winnipeg Centre.

The Vegetable Growers Association of Manitoba (VGAM) says the closure has potentially devastating consequences for many of the province’s vegetable growers, as well as many related business and sectors.

“The impact of this extends beyond CPGPP,” says VGAM President Roland Jeffries. “Many businesses in Portage invested in this. Jobs have been created on the farms to support this that are now being lost. Our producers were all ready with their seed and land to begin planting for CPGPP as soon as they could get out there. They are now scrambling, not knowing what to do.”

The group says many of Manitoba’s vegetable farmers have invested sizeable dollars in equipment, buildings and other related infrastructure to help CPGPP meet its capacity requirements.

In addition to these losses, VGAM says local farmers are owed a significant amount of money for the vegetables they have delivered in 2016.

“Our hope is that whichever company or group of investors deciding to pick up what is left of CPGPP will leave the facility in Manitoba,” says Jeffries. “There is still time to get the plant up and running again for this year’s crop.”

MNP Ltd., one of Canada’s largest insolvency firms, has been appointed as receiver of all the company’s assets, property, and undertakings.