CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Nestle to Sell Cat Food Plant: The company agreed to the sale to settle concerns that its planned $510-million acquisition of Alpo PetFoods would stifle competition and lead to higher prices. The government said Nestle Food Co., which makes various cat and dog foods, must sell its Ft. Dodge, Iowa, plant to close the deal. The Federal Trade Commission had said the acquisition, announced in September, would eliminate competition between Glendale-based Nestle and Alpo PetFoods of Allentown, Pa., a subsidiary of Grand Metropolitan Inc. The sale may also have raised the odds for collusion among the remaining cat food companies, the FTC said.