MORE than 40 research workers are to lose their jobs following the Government’s decision to slash funding to a world-renowned horticultural centres.

The jobs are going at Horticulture Research International (HRI) sites in East Malling, near Maidstone, and Wye, near Ashford.

The move comes after more than a year of uncertainty triggered by a Government review.

Ministers said the taxpayer should no longer subsidise horticultural research, although the Government will continue to pay for specific research projects.

The job cuts take effect at the end of March when a new independently funded research organisation will be set up at East Malling.

Around 100 staff will be left at the East Malling site to work for the new organisation. An enterprise hub, Invicta Innovations, aimed at helping start-up scientific and other businesses is also expected to survive in a new guise.

Its boss David Parry is among those being laid off but hopes to stay on at Invicta when it becomes a limited company.

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and Kent County Council have both pledged to do all they can to maintain a world-class research centre at East Malling.

HRI said the reduction in staffing levels was “a necessary process to ensure that the new company will be stable and financially viable to meet its aim of meeting and surpassing the requirements of current and future customers.”

It added: “HRI management, who remain responsible for East Malling and Wye until March 31, 2004, deeply regret the need to make people redundant.