The Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I second the Motion moved by the Chair of COPE, Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera, to debate the Special Audit Report on the advance payment for importing 15,000 dairy cattle under Phase III, and the report on the National Gem and Jewellery Authority.

¶ 02 In Asian culture, the cow is a revered animal. From ancient Indus Valley civilization to date, the cow has had special significance. In Sri Lanka, products of milk—curd, ghee, buttermilk—have been central to livelihoods. Cow dung is used as organic fertilizer in dry-zone agriculture. Presently, Sri Lanka maintains around 1.6 million cattle, including dairy and draft types. Breeds found locally include European (Jersey, Friesian, Ayrshire, Girolando), South Asian (Sindhi, Sahiwal), buffalo breeds (Murrah, Niliravi), alongside indigenous cattle. Across Sri Lanka’s six agro-climatic zones, suitable breeds can be reared—European breeds in the upcountry; South Asian breeds in dry and semi-arid zones.

¶ 03 The National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) has 32 farms, with 14 focused on dairy, including South Asia’s largest dairy farm at Ridiyagama (est. 1938), and others at Bopaththalawa, Manikpalama, Dayagama, Kotagala, etc. In Kurunegala too—Chittakuliya, Wannigama, Narangalla, Nikaweratiya, Polonthalawa—NLDB manages dairy operations; Polonthalawa spans nearly 900 acres.

¶ 04 Globally, cattle are reared for milk and beef. Sri Lanka’s modern import history dates to 1998, with about 2,000 cattle in Phase I and 2,500 in Phase II (circa 2013), primarily to NLDB farms in the Central and North-Western Provinces. The Adjournment today concerns developments since 2014: under a Cabinet Memorandum presented by then President and Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on 2014.01.13, 20,000 dairy cattle were to be imported in Phase III, scheduled across 2018, 2019, 2020, with total project cost around USD 110 million and a 20 percent advance paid—yet no cattle arrived under Step 2. In 2017 (May and December), 5,018 cattle were imported under earlier steps, but without comprehensive feasibility; imported high-yield European cattle require specific fodder and management. Diseases were introduced—Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) and the parasite Fasciola hepatica—causing heavy losses among local herds. No accountability was provided then.

¶ 05 Sri Lanka’s daily milk demand is around 4 million litres; actual daily production is around 1 million litres. Annual production is roughly 365–370 million litres against a requirement of about 1.1 billion litres; hence roughly 750 million litres are imported annually. The 2014 initiative sought to reduce imports. Yet the expected outcome was not achieved. About 250,000 people engage directly or indirectly in the dairy sector, and some 75,000 rely on it as their primary livelihood. We must modernize NLDB farms, strengthen breeder associations, improve nutrition, breeding (including AI), disease control and vaccination, and incentivize liquid milk consumption, with adequate budgetary support.

¶ 06 In my electorate, we are engaging dairy farm managers from July 1 to advance these plans. Our aim is self-sufficiency in milk by 2030. I support today’s Motion to ensure fraud and corruption are not repeated and to implement COPE’s recommendations.

¶ 07 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.