Ice cream project benefits Eastern farmers

US Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis, officially opened a new ice cream plant in Batticaloa District as part of a dairy revitalization project that will increase the income of 4,000 dairy farmers and create new jobs.

The project is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the development agency of the US Government. USAID provided $3.75 million to initiate the project, leveraging funding from Land O'Lakes, a leading US dairy producer, and CIC Agribusiness, a major Sri Lankan agricultural company.

Ambassador Butenis said: "The US Government is proud to support this effort to revitalize the dairy industry in the East.

This project will increase the incomes of participating farmers, ensure that the quantity and quality of milk produced in Sri Lanka improves, and reduce dependence on imported milk products."