Fonterra to help Lanka's food service industry
Indunil HEWAGE
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Newdale- Fonterra Brands Lanka Human Resources and Corporate
Relations Director Roshan Kulasuriya |
Dairy multinational Fonterra's Sri Lanka unit reiterates its
commitment by enhancing neighbourhood and dairy farming community
development in Sri Lanka.
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Fonterra Brands Lanka Complex in Biyagama. Pictures by-Saliya
Rupasinghe |
In line with its commitment to empower local farmers in Sri Lanka,
the company is in the process of completing a model farm in Hambantota
district at a cost of Rs 8.1 million. According to Fonterra Brands Lanka
Human Resources and Corporate Relations Director Roshan Kulasuriya the
company has initiated the project with the intention of giving a helping
hand to Sri Lankan framers who were inspiring to get into dairy
industry.
Fonterra Brands Lanka sees a strong growth of business in Sri Lanka
with over 50 % market share in dairy segment.
The company operates nine raw milk collection centres island wide,
collecting around 25,000 -30,000 litres of milk per day and 4,000
farmers delivering milk to these centres.
The manufacturing operations of the company are based in Biyagama
where Fonterra produce both liquid and powdered dairy products. Rs 1.2
billion expansion to the Biyagama plant was commissioned in late 2008,
increasing output by 40 percent and helping to meet growing demand for
high standard, nutritional dairy products in Sri Lanka.
Fonterra Brands Lanka has launched several education programmes to
improve pasture planting, productivity of cows ,veterinary and medical
facilities and to eliminate malnutrition levels in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is one of Fonterra's most important international markets
and interest-free loan is also offered to farmers to help them increase
quality and quantity of their yields.
Nutritional dairy products of Fonterra Sri Lanka Unit are
manufactured from milk produced from the green pastures of New Zealand
or by the dairy farmers of Sri Lanka.
Fonterra Brands Lanka employ more than 700 people in the area of
distribution, marketing, manufacturing services to production capacities
and others and is ready to further market innovative products to
complement their existing portfolio of milk,cultured and cream products. |
