The government has decided to lease unused state land and land belonging to the National Livestock Board for thirty years to private sector investors to set up modern dairy farms.
A paper submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by the Minister of Agriculture states that Sri Lanka incurs Rs 50 billion annually to import milk to meet the demand. The paper has further said that Sri Lanka can produce only 40% of the country’s milk requirement.
The Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication has, therefore, submitted proposals to the Board of Investment to encourage local and foreign investors to improve local milk production.
Consequently, the Board of Investment has invited proposals from interested investors. Accordingly, the technical committee of the Board has submitted its recommendations for the allotment of land to the private sector investors.
The Cabinet, following the recommendations of the BoI, has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture to provide state land to the following investors.
• Allotment of 700 acres of Nikaweratiya farm belonging to the National Livestock Board to H.B.K.I.R. International/ Access Agro (Pvt.) Ltd. and 60 acres to Pesara Logistics Institute.
• Allotment of 811 acres of GalabodawaththaEstate and Mount Jean Estate belonging to the Janatha Estate Development Board to Farm’s Pride (Pvt) Ltd.
• Allotment of 200 acres and 150 acres respectively from Delthota Estate and GrateValley belonging to the Janatha Estate Development Board to Hillside Agro (Pvt.)Ltd.
• Allotment of 250 acres of Kottukachchiyafarm belonging to the National Livestock Board to Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka (Pvt) Ltd.
