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Tuesday, 2 June 2020 01:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government yesterday dismissed concerns about public funds being used to import dairy cows to Sri Lanka, insisting that the project will be changed and the new policy was to establish a breeding program instead.
Officials sought to address concerns regarding a Cabinet decision to import a specialised breed of cattle to establish two stud farms in Sri Lanka with the long-term aim of increasing domestic dairy production.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Government Information Department, Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardana stated that they will not seek to import dairy cows for distribution among dairy farmers anymore.
“The previous Government did so in an ill-advised manner, with disastrous repercussions for the cows and farmers alike,” he said.
Gunawardana pointed out that $ 312 million was spent annually for the import of dairy products to Sri Lanka. The Cabinet decision to import 2,500 stud bulls is in line with plans to improve national dairy milk production as per President Gotabaya Rajapaksa›s election manifesto.
The Government will review a project initiated by the previous Government to import and distribute dairy cows, National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) Chairman Prof. Manjula Maganama told reporters.
“We have identified core areas which need development, which include the need to increase the volume of special cattle fodder and other foods needed to feed dairy cows. Today, we don›t have adequate volumes of cattle fodder, which is a special variety of lush grass, needed to feed dairy cows. Therefore, the cows produce less milk and their reproduction cycle is affected,” Prof. Managama said, pointing out that on average, a high-yield dairy cow will consume at least 10% of their weight in fodder.
Prof. Managama stressed that importing and distributing dairy cows was not the answer to Sri Lanka’s dairy needs. He argued that the country must first produce adequate cattle feed and have the relevant infrastructure in place before the distribution of cows occurs.
“We need to focus on first having adequate cattle fodder and then we can begin through a reproduction centre and artificial insemination techniques deliver the high-quality dairy cattle we need to fill the local requirement,” he said, pointing out that the Cabinet decision to import 2,500 stud bulls were to establish two stud farms in the long term.
The Government said it hopes to renegotiate a loan assistance program from the Australian Government to facilitate the stud farms. Under this, the Government plans to stop importing dairy cows from the Australian company Wellard Rural Exports and attempt to import stud bulls from a different company.
