The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law
Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara supported the motion and raised concerns over a surplus in egg production, particularly affecting small poultry farmers in Kurunegala, with farm-gate prices falling to Rs. 20–22 despite production costs of around Rs. 32–35 per egg. He attributed the crisis to uncontrolled hatchery and breeder hen expansion and urged regulation of breeding, action on feed and input costs, and stabilization of farm-gate prices to prevent smallholders being displaced by larger operators. He also requested that kurakkan imports be avoided during local harvesting periods and that farmers receive at least Rs. 150–160 per kilogram.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Mr. Deputy Speaker, I support the motion and focus on the crisis among egg and poultry producers in Kurunegala. During COVID, egg prices rose to around Rs. 52, prompting thousands to start small farms. Now the national daily egg demand is about 8.5 million (rising to 9.5 million in festive seasons), but current daily production is about 10.025–10.03 million, causing a persistent surplus. For about 11 months, farm-gate prices have been around Rs. 20–22, while production costs are about Rs. 34 for small farmers (about Rs. 32 for large). The Central Bank notes Rs. 34.85 per egg cost. Smallholders are being wiped out.
¶ 02 The root is uncontrolled breeding: annual demand for parent/breeder hens is about 850,000–950,000, but we now have about 1.045 million. Please urgently regulate hatcheries and breeding. Also, address prices of feed, vaccines, vitamins, minerals, and premixes. Stabilize farm-gate prices; otherwise, smallholders perish while large players with cold storage buy low and hold stock. On kurakkan imports: do not import during local harvesting; pay farmers at least Rs. 150–160 per kg (not Rs. 135).
¶ 03 I urge immediate interventions to protect small poultry farmers.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Friday, 11 July 2025 ·No. 1753082553092748 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 11 July 2025. No. 1753082553092748. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/21186