The 114 job losses are part of the agribusiness giant's move from a state-based to a regionally-based management structure – one of the company's biggest in its 169-year history.

Under Elders' Business Transformation Program, 20 'like-looking' agricultural regions were created across Australia in June to more closely align themselves with rural customers and deliver a more cost-efficient service.

Elders Rural Services managing director Mike Guerin said it was essential the company became as "lean and efficient" in the non-customer roles to reinvest its money in the "customer facing business".

Many of the jobs shed have been duplicated support roles such as accounting, marketing and IT across the different product areas and where possible head office management in areas such as wool, livestock and real estate have been absorbed into new roles.

* Extract from a full report in Stock Journal, December 4 issue.