Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Being predominantly a agricultural nation, it is a worthy cause initiated by the government of  to develop agriculture at home garden level  as well as in National Level, due to the fact that Industrial Revolution Initiated by Previous Regimes have miserably failed.

I read the budget proposals with a keen interest and noted a worthy cause initiated by the government to import 20,000 cows to Sri Lanka to enhance milk production, which I think is timely action.

Few questions is still remaining to be answered?

• In order to provide milk, cows require a stud bull to make them productive to have calves ,hence are we importing foreign bulls or trying to manage with Local Stud bulls  ??( we have plenty in some selected Pradesheeya Sabha’s !!)
• Cows from Australia and New Zealand have been imported to Sri Lanka ,but their milking yield has been low due to stress emanated from the high heat in Sri Lanka ,unless they all are placed in Nuwaraeliya
• If they have to be kept so far away we require milk chilling facilities as milk extracted nee cooling within 2-3 hours and transport.
• These cows cannot survive long in dry zones to give optimum milk output of 20-30  litres like in those countries  due to heat stress
• Chillers with Solar power ice making facilities are also required  and they are quite expensive.
• Government shall consider bringing Buffaloes ( though we have many in various Pradesheeya Sabhas!!) who can provide milk with high fat content and the buffaloes have more endurance to survive.
• Pakistan and India is self-sufficient in Milk despite the hot climate as they use many chillers using diesel power operated ice making plant and the cows from these countries have more endurance and able to withstand the excessive heat.
• COWS TO BE IMPORTED SHOULD BE FROM INDIA OR PAKISTAN IF SRI LANKA IS SERIOUSLY CONTEMPLATING DEVLOP DAIRY INDUSTRY
• I AM SURE WORLD BANK OR ASEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK CAN PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ABOVE

• THERE MAY BE AGENTS IN THE COW-BUSINESS WHO MAY BE EITHER PURSUING THE SUPPLY OF COWS FROM AUSTRALIA TO MILK” AND MAKE  FEW MILLION DOLLARS WHICH  H E PRESIDENT SHOULD BE AWARE OF .

Dr Sarath Obeysekera