The Hon. Namal Karunaratne - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I provide the answer on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation.

¶ 02 Yearwise chicken meat production (metric tons): 2010 - 104,160 2011 - 116,760 2012 - 137,390 2013 - 144,540 2014 - 150,320 2015 - 164,450 2016 - 182,690 2017 - 200,980 2018 - 214,200 2019 - 224,010 2020 - 216,160 2021 - 236,670 2022 - 228,130 2023 - 236,110 2024 - 257,930 2025 - 283,580 (projected)

¶ 03 (ii) Yes.

¶ 04 Quantities of chicken meat exported (metric tons): 2010 - 2,309.60 2011 - 1,812.03 2012 - 969.60 2013 - 1,524.46 2014 - 1,964.66 2015 - 1,080.32 2016 - 1,473.03 2017 - 1,995.82 2018 - 3,727.89 2019 - 3,664.17 2020 - 1,597.58 2021 - 770.68 2022 - 502.76 2023 - 1,812.52 2024 - 2,487.99

¶ 05 (iv) Yes.

¶ 06 Quantities of chicken meat imported (metric tons): 2010 - 1,235.74 2011 - 1,952.13 2012 - 844.51 2013 - 352.46 2014 - 354.00 2015 - 591.58 2016 - 252.59 2017 - 271.52 2018 - 277.16 2019 - 195.85 2020 - 128.58 2021 - 54.73 2022 - 140.46 2023 - 231.50 2024 - 65.79

¶ 07 (vi) Chicken meat production is entirely undertaken by the private sector. The State formulates policies, regulates, and provides necessary facilitation to enhance production. Measures underway to improve the industry include:

¶ 08 - As per the policy statement “A Prosperous Nation - A Beautiful Life,” plans are in place to double current chicken meat production by 2029. - Given the heavy use of maize (corn) in feed and the foreign exchange spent annually on imports, the Ministry has identified maize as a priority crop under the “Crop Production Programme” and launched a targeted programme to expand domestic cultivation. Accordingly, 20,000 hectares are planned for the 2025 Yala season, expecting an additional 100,000 metric tons over last year. As domestic production will still not fully meet feed demand, 250,000 metric tons of maize are planned to be imported this year to avert shortages. - Expanding production aimed at meeting domestic demand and targeted exports, including entering identified markets such as China, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates by meeting their import standards. - Recommending and facilitating appropriate tax concessions for the import of essential raw materials for feed and equipment/spare parts necessary for industry development; coordinating among relevant state and private institutions. - Facilitating the import of day-old grandparent and parent stock for farms. - Studying annual production plans and ensuring supply planning; providing monthly production status estimates to guide producers. - Quarterly inspection of biosecurity measures in grandparent and parent farms and monthly reporting on flock health; quarterly disease testing in hatcheries to ensure only healthy day-old chicks are released to commercial farms. - Recommending import of essential raw materials for feed and facilitating the same. - Facilitating export of high-quality chicken meat by providing farm inspections, audits, laboratory testing facilities, and issuing animal health certificates. - Providing required disease diagnosis, laboratory services, and advisory support to smallholders through district-level veterinary investigation centres and the Veterinary Research Institute at Gannoruwa. - Maintaining Sri Lanka’s avian influenza-free status through islandwide surveillance. - Upgrading institutional infrastructure for ongoing regulation and facilitation.

¶ 09 (b) Does not arise.