Dec. 6: Biscuit manufacturer Priya Food Products Ltd has declared suspension of work at its Agarpara factory in North 24-Parganas, citing "huge financial loss over the last few years".

According to union sources at the Agarpara unit, there are around 150 workers at the factory. Priya owner Ganesh Prasad Agarwal said the factory had 500 workers but the number had dropped to 60 or 70.

The two main workers' unions, affiliated to the INTTUC and Citu, protested the manner in which the suspension of work was declared.

Agarwal said: "It is an old plant. There was a problem with the quality of the products (being produced there). We could not continue any more," he said, adding he had no immediate plan of re-opening the factory.

The Rs 80-crore food-products maker said it had suffered losses of Rs 6 crore because of the Agarpara factory.

The Bengal-based company, which makes biscuits and snacks, has set up another factory at Hooghly's Serampore where 200 people are employed. According to Agarwal, 15 workers from the Agarpara plant had taken transfer to the Serampore unit while many more had "resigned".

The Agarpara factory is located on a two-acre plot on BT Road, areas surrounding which are witnessing a real estate boom. "The factory is still there," Agarwal said.