Dairy production and livestock gets boost

Ishara Mudugamuwa

Today it boasts of a wide network of milk collection centres , production and sales centres administered throughout the island and continues to contribute towards the enhancement of the rural economy while providing the much needed nutrition to the entire nation

The development of the national dairy production and uplifting the living standards of dairy farmers is one of the main strategies in Mahinda Chinthanaya policy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. A dairy villages program, promotion of the milk production industry, establishing livestock breeding farms are some of the main programs currently going on under the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

There were 686 dairy villages established since the year 2005 all over the country. From the year 2007, 450 milk selling centres were established. It is hoped to increase it up to 1,000 selling centres before the end of year 2010.

The government has taken steps to revise some acts for the betterment of livestock. They are Animals Act No : 29 of 1958, Animal Disease Act No: 59 of 1992, Animal Feed Act No: 15 of 1986 and Veterinary Surgeons and Practitioners Act No: 46 of 1956.

Animal Production and Health Department, National Livestock Development Board, Milco Pvt. Ltd. and Sri Lanka-Libya Agricultural and Livestock(Co.)Ltd and Provincial Departments Animal Production and Health are five institutions involved in the livestock sector.

An efficient preventive and curative animal health service is necessary for maintaining a healthy animal population conducive to the livestock industry and public health.

Other necessary factors: promote optimal utilization of animal genetic resources; enhance utilization of quality animal feeds and feed resources; promote and facilitate good animal husbandry practices; conduct research and development towards a sustainable livestock industry, develop human resources and ensure efficient and effective information dissemination and technology transfer; formulate, monitor and evaluate projects and programs with sector participation; assure quality of inputs, products, services and practices in the livestock sector by enforcement of regulatory provisions; ensure efficient management of departmental activities; goat development programs; control Bird flu situation; self employment training. These need to be done mainly under the Animal Production and Health Department.

They do 5,592,712 vaccinations on animals for various diseases. They have established five livestock centres in Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Trincomalee, Ampara and Colombo. The Animal Production and Health Department has also established a veterinary hospital in Nuwara Eliya.

The National Livestock Development Board was established in 1973 and is currently doing a great service for the development of the livestock sector. It is conducting 19 dairy farms, four goat farms, three hatcheries, two pig farms and two buffalo farms in all over the country.

Milco is the largest and the only government-owned milk producing company. Milco dairy products are sold in the market under the trade name of ‘Highland’.

These products are produced using only local milk that is produced by local dairy farmers. These products are mainly categorized into two varieties, namely liquid milk and dairy products. Liquid milk such as pasteurized and sterilized are very natural products and no additives or chemicals are added to these milk products to extend their shelf life.

Milco Pvt. Ltd. was established in 1955 as The National Milk Board under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture. It commenced operations with a single Factory in Colombo commissioned under the Colombo Plan.

Today it boasts of a wide network of milk collection centres , production and sales centres administered throughout the island and continues to contribute towards the enhancement of the rural economy while providing the much needed nutrition to the entire nation.

Establishment of Thissapura, Wellaweli and Uppuweli milk chilling centres, opening of Puttalam and Ambalantota spreading centre, increasing milk collecting roads from 188 up to 194 and many other services were implemented in the last three years.

Sri Lanka- Libya Agricultural and Livestock(Co.)Ltd is a joint partnership company established in 1981 with 51 percent of the shares owned by the National Livestock Development Board and 49 percent by the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to carry on agricultural and livestock projects in Sri Lanka and to import all necessary inputs and machinery for the same and export of all forms of agricultural produce and to purchase, sell, import and otherwise deal in livestock projects including poultry, meat and eggs.

The company manages a 350-acre coconut farm at Bandirippuwa, Lunuwila integrated with cattle, sheep and poultry. The company also operates a poultry breeder stock and a hatchery. Sri Lanka- Libya Agricultural and Livestock Co. Ltd launched a number of development programs at the cost of Rs 26 million since year 2008.

Under the Uthuru Vasanthaya and Nagenahira Navodaya development programs the Livestock Development Ministry has started to implement several projects to uplift the living standards of the people who live in Northern and Eastern areas. The Ministry provided animals for rearing and established Dairy Farmers Committees in the Eastern Province. And also opened two new milk chilling centres in the Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts.

These chilling centres will help uplift the living standards of 800 resettled dairy farmer families in the Eastern Province and it is expected to collect 2,500 litres of milk from the Morawewa chilling centre and 2,000 litres from the Vakarai chilling centre and there are plans to increase production. It is mentioned in the Mahinda Chinthana that the President will take all steps to protect the livestock industry and the livestock farmer. The livestock farmer is a silent person who is doing a great service for the development of the country. He never talks to the media and never asks for anything from the Government. Government imported milk powder at a cost of Rs.19 billion in 2007. Dairy farmer is the one who helps to reduce it.

Government takes every step to introduce new techniques for livestock farmers and ensure a good price for their products.