McCain Foods Canada Ltd. is temporarily shutting down a potato processing plant in Grand Falls, a decision that will affect 120 workers in the northwestern community.

The company said the temporary closure is due to a potato shortage caused by bad weather during the last growing season.

McCain’s had been bringing in potatoes from Prince Edward Island.

But Calla Farn, the vice-president of government and public relations at the company, said McCain cannot gather enough potatoes to keep the facility going all summer.

Farn said the company is going to try and minimize the impact on the 120 workers.

“So we are exploring options to minimize the impact. For example, we have scheduled essential training during the shutdown and we have redeployed some of our people to other areas,” she said.

Farn said the first production line will shut down June 10 and the second on July 1.

McCain plans to restart the Grand Falls plant after the new potato crop is harvested in late August or early September.