Richlife Dairies in an ambitious drive to uplift local milk industry

Wednesday, 14 August 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Richlife Dairies Ltd., Sri Lanka’s pioneering manufacturer of liquid fresh milk in Tetra packs recently increased its milk collection network to over 5,000 farmer families across the country. A member of Renuka Shaw Wallace PLC, the company’s primary focus is to extend the local milk farmer network throughout the country. With seven milk collection and chilling centres located across Galaha, Kirindiwela, Dambulla, Nikaweratiya, Horana, Bandargama and Waduwa, the company now directly helps over 5,000 farmer families by purchasing fresh milk at the Government stipulated price 365 days a year. The collection of fresh milk is also extended to Melsirupura, Gokarella and Mathugama which is transported in insulated bowsers to nearby

collection centres thus ensuring that freshness is always maintained. “Our aim with Richlife Dairies is very clear taking into consideration all factors in the macro environment prevailing today,” said Chief Operating Officer Dinesh Nalliah. “Plans are underway to extend our outsourcing network by another 1,000 farmers by early 2014. This will enable us to meet the demand ahead. This is of course is also in line with the Government’s initiative in developing the local livestock industry, enhancing farmer livelihoods and more importantly making Sri Lanka 100% self-sufficient in domestic dairy production by 2016. Richlife Dairies, as a Sri Lankan dairy producer, is fully committed in making this vision a reality.” With development in the North and East initiated at a rapid pace more opportunities are now available to extend the farmer network to previously untapped areas, where cattle farming is abundant. Richlife is at the forefront of such initiatives.Adding further insights into the company’s plans Dinesh Nalliah further stated, “As one of the leading food and beverage manufacturers in the country our long term relationship with farmer families throughout Sri Lanka has been extensive and long term. We contributed over Rs. 1 billion to the rural economy in the last financial year by way of procurement of fresh milk and other agriculture produce. We have commenced taking this relationship to the next level by educating those involved in rearing cattle on their plantations. This way we reach out to more rural folk and help their livelihoods. At Richlife Farms, which is Sri Lanka’s largest intercrop organic certified farm, we are further expanding our daily requirement of fresh milk as well.” “Similar dairy hub concepts such as these have been adopted in countries such as Pakistan and India, and have proved to be highly successful. The most significant aspect of this is that it has empowered rural women. We at Richlife Dairies Ltd. hope to spread this across our network as well,” Nalliah added. Richlife Dairies Ltd. has gone a step further in helping the rural farmers through an innovative new range of yoghurt, introduced to the market recently – Richlife KiriPani. This is hybrid yoghurt and kitul mix which is very unique in taste but keeping the original taste favoured by Sri Lankans. Richlife Dairy based products such as liquid fresh milk in Tetra, flavoured fresh milk, yoghurts, curd and ghee are currently freely available at all groceries and supermarkets island wide.