Farmers paid more for milk

Irangika RANGE, Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna MUDALIGE

The Government has increased the maximum price per litre of milk paid to the farmer upto Rs 44 as a measure to strengthen the local dairy industry, Parliament was told yesterday.

According to an answer tabled by Livestock and Rural Community Development Minister Arumugam Thondaman in reply to a question raised by UNP MP Rosy Senanayake, the amount of cows' milk produced per day in Sri Lanka is 511,290 litres. Meanwhile, the Government has set up 2,673 milk collection centres across the country. Asked to inform the House the measures adopted by the Livestock and Rural Community Ministry to enhance the local cow's milk production, the reply said, dairy villages comprising 20 dairy farmers have been established while the support would be provided to improve cattle sheds, purchase of livestock and grow pastures. Meanwhile, the cattle salvage and breeder farm program assists dairy farmers to improve their herd so that female animals can be supplied to other farmers as a solution to solve the shortage of dairy cows. Meanwhile, the Animals Act No. 29 of 1958 has been amended to protect cattle and buffaloes from illicit transport and slaughter and for identification of animals while regulations have been enacted to establish animal care centres to look after them during legal procedure for illicit transport and slaughter.

Artificial breeding service to produce good quality dairy animals for higher milk production will be provided while plans are under way to recruit more veterinary surgeons to improve the services provided to dairy farmers.