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Saturday Sep 28, 2024
Saturday, 23 November 2013 09:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Six hundred thousand chicks will be distributed among 90,000 beneficiaries under Divi Neguma Phase Five which commenced on 11 October. Already arrangements have also been made under Phase Five to provide each beneficiary with Rs. 35,000 to construct 5000 cattle sheds, Rs. 12, 500 for growing high quality grass on a quarter acre land each, Rs. 15,000 to buy three female goats and construct 5000 goat sheds and Rs. 10,000 each for 1000 beneficiaries to establish a 1000 piggeries.
The Livestock Development project under the Divi Neguma National Program directed by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has been launched with the full cooperation of the Livestock and Rural Community Development Ministry.
The number of registered dairy farmers in Sri Lanka is 238,322 while the number of unregistered farmers is nearly 100,000. Presently the local dairy industry meets only 40% of the country’s liquid milk requirements. The balance 60% is imported.
Between 2005 and 2012, the total milk production increased by 107 million litres under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. The number of dairy cows has increased by 150,000. When milk is obtained from another 300000 high-yielding cattle breeds, Sri Lanka can be completely self-sufficient in liquid milk, according to livestock experts.
According Sri Lanka’s livestock and health reports Sri Lanka’s milk consumption is 135 mililitres per day. In addition to building cattle sheds, high yielding breeds of cattle have been imported to the country.
Sri Lanka’s current pig population is 87,000 and the pig farmers are being provided with subsidies in the form of healthy animal 
feed and other facilities, says Divi Neguma Director-General Jayatilleke Herath.
Earlier, poultry farmers were provided with 1.1 million chicks while this time 600,000 more will be given to them, making the total number 1.7 million. This has contributed Rs. 4320 million to the national economy. Doctors recommend that a person needs at least three eggs per week. Under the Divi Neguma National Program consumers are being provided with 330 million more eggs.
Doctors are also providing health advice free of charge for the livestock industry under the Divi Neguma National Program. The livestock mobile services too are providing the necessary information at electorate level.
Under Divi Neguma, thousands more farmers have joined the livestock industry. They have already been briefed with the necessary advice on getting a good price for their products and providing relief to consumers.
When selecting beneficiaries under the Livestock Development Program, applications sent to the Divisional Secretariats will also be considered. After training the beneficiaries, the relevant ministries will monitor the progress of their activities.
