Sri Lanka to encourage dairy farming to boost milk output

Sri Lanka's Ministry of Livestock Development has decided to establish a chain of modern dairy farms to boost dairy output and reduce reliance on foreign imports.

 

Sri Lanka consumes up to 70 million litres of fresh milk a year but local production can only provide a fifth of demand. This has cost the nation US$113 million yearly.

 

The Ministry, besides unveiling plans for hi-tech farms, has also decided to import and breed quality dairy animals.

 

Minister R.M.C.B. Rathnayake speaking to Asian Tribune said that the Ministry would build and operate a chain of world-class dairy farms and start building a profitable dairy industry in Southern Sri Lanka.

 

He said that the nucleus of the 'Dairy Master Plan' will be an Anchor Farm with 10,000 milking cows and a dairy processing plant in central Sri Lanka.

 

The minister added he hoped interested countries or companies would come forward to invest in the projects.

 

He said that Ministry envisages owning or managing a sizeable number of satellite farms with 1,000 cows in each farm. The Anchor Farm will act as a training centre for managers and milk operators selected to manage the proposed satellite farms.

 

A diary processing plant would also process the milk from the Anchor Farm and satellite farms into pasteurized and homogenized fresh milk and yoghurt.

 

The Ministry also plans to establish commercial production of anti-bodies and colostrums extracts. Colostrum is the pre-milk substance from the cow during the first 24 hours of lactation.

 

It assists the immune system, accelerate healing of all body tissues, increase bone and lean muscle mass.