CIC Mahaweli Livestock and Dairies to expand business:

Vast development in Sri Lanka with peace

Charumini DE SILVA

Vast development is taking place in Sri Lanka with the ushering of peace. Development directly facilitates to build the country’s economy.

A subsidiary of the CIC Agri Business, CIC Seeds (Pvt.) Ltd has joined hands with a Government entity, Mahaweli Livestock and Agro Enterprise (Pvt) Ltd. and has set up a new company, ‘CIC Mahaweli Livestock and Dairies (Pvt) Ltd.

Director HRM Corporate Affairs, CIC Agri Business, Marlon Fernandopulle told Daily News Business, “We took over the Siddapura and Muthuwela dairy farms which were under Government management. CIC is keen on enhancing liquid milk consumption in the country and increasing milk production in the Eastern Province”.

CIC Mahaweli Livestock and Dairies (Pvt) Ltd expects to produce 20,000 litres of fresh milk per year and will expand its business in value added products such as yoghurt, cheese and flavoured milk in the first two years.

“To cater to the high demand and achieve the goals we have to work with the outgrowers as well. We are working closely with outgrowers and currently we have over 1,000 - 1,500 outgrowers in the area.

We have generated direct job opportunities for people who are engaged in dairy production and have provided indirect opportunities in other areas as well. In creating these opportunities we assist the people in the area also to earn”, he said.

“The targeted investment for the project is Rs. 100 - Rs. 150 million, while we have invested Rs.70 million on developing infrastructure and to import animals in the past six months. We already have 250 buffaloes in the new farm and hope to import another 200 from Australia in the near future”, he said.

“Sri Lanka spends over Rs. 18 - 20 billion per year on imported powdered milk. With these livestock plants we can save much foreign exchange, and at the same time sustain the country with the demand for milk as well”, Fernandopulle said.