Rs. 20 m invested on milk production

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa stressed the need to entertain massive scale investment projects in keeping with the principles of the Mahinda Chinthana as an agriculture based nation. At the opening of the Livestock Production Centre, Petro Lanka, at Banduragoda, Mirigama recently.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at the opening of the Livestock Development Centre Petro Lanka.

The centre initiated with an investment of Rs. 20 million by a Sri Lankan expatriate, Lokitha Karawita who served as a Senior Construction Engineer, Petroleum Corporation in Doha-Qatar.

Managing Director, Lokitha Karawita said he named the centre Petro Lanka due to affiliation with the petroleum sector in Qatar and that Sri Lanka could be made the miracle of Asia if all Sri Lankans worked with patriotism and commitment.

The Milk production in the country stands at a low ebb and this BOI project will produce an additional 150,000 litres of milk. Production will be increased up to 400,000 litres under a phased out program.

The project will generate twenty direct and 40 indirect employment opportunities and is located on 17 hectares of land. Sri Lanka incurs an expenditure of Rs. 17 billion annually on importation of milk foods to the country to meet demand. Expansion of the milk producing sector would generate self-employment opportunities and exchange flowing out of the country. Livestock Resources and Rural Resources Minister Arumugam Thondaman, Chairman, Livestock Development Board, Ranjith Ellegama and Director, Petro Lanka, Mahinda Liyanage were also present.