The Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan
Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan stated that the livestock sector’s contribution to GDP has declined and identified feed scarcity, particularly grazing access for indigenous cattle in the dry zone, as a key constraint. He said 20,000 acres in Mullaitivu had been agreed in principle with the Forest Department for grazing, with similar steps planned in Vavuniya and Mannar, and proposed wet-zone grazing and dry-zone feed crop cultivation for commercial dairy. He also noted inadequate staffing at 337 veterinary stations and said Service Minutes were being prepared to strengthen veterinary cadres, while emphasizing the need to raise domestic milk production from about 40% to reduce imports and improve nutrition.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Mr. Deputy Speaker, livestock’s share of GDP has declined from about 1.9% in 1980 to around 1.39% in 2023 due to inadequate focus. Feed scarcity is a core constraint. In the dry zone, indigenous cattle lack sufficient grazing, risking breed decline. After discussions with the Forest Department, about 20,000 acres in Mullaitivu have been agreed in principle for indigenous cattle grazing, with similar commitments in Vavuniya and Mannar.
¶ 02 For commercial high-yield dairy, create grazing in the wet zone and cultivate grasses and feed crops in the dry zone, with support from Irrigation, Agrarian Development, and Rural Development departments. There are 337 veterinary stations, but staffing is inadequate; we are preparing Service Minutes to recruit and strengthen veterinary cadres. Only about 40% of milk needs are domestically produced; 60% is imported and not always optimal for health. Increasing local production will improve nutrition and public health.
¶ 03 Thank you.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Friday, 11 July 2025 ·No. 1753082553092748 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 11 July 2025. No. 1753082553092748. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/21189