Good times for Kantale curd industry

By Mohammed NAALIR reporting from Kantale

The Government has implemented major development projects in the North and the East to improve living standards of the people and to uplift the regional economy under the Uthuru Wasanthaya and Negenahira Navodhaya development projects.

Once the development projects are completed, the North and the East will remain as the centre of the development process. New business enterprises and industries have come up in the region. Existing industries are being further developed.

The attention of domestic and foreign investors have turned towards the North and the East. They are ready to invest in various industries.

A new Industrial Estate has been set up close to Monkey bridge on the Habarana-Trincomalee main road beyond Thambalagamuwa. Tri Star apparel manufacturers is also running a garment factory. It has given employment to rehabilitated LTTE female cadres. Several garment and industrial parks are to come up in the North and the East.

This country is gifted with natural resources and certain areas are famous for various products. For instance Wennappuwa area is famous for clay related products, Kajugama for cashew nut. Likewise Kantale is famous for milk products.

The curd industry is also one of the main livelihoods of the people in this area. A large number of dairy farmers are engaged in curd production on a massive scale. There are more than 200 curd stalls on the Habarana-Trincomalee main road between Agbopura and Kantale.

Kantale curd is also available in Kandy, Matale, Kurunegala, Dambulla and Ambalangoda markets. Since the elimination of terrorism, a large number of small dairy farmers has embraced the curd industry in Kantale.

Over 1,000 litres of curd is dispatched to various parts of the country from Kantale.

N.D.P. Premasiri who is running a mega scale curd processing centre under the logo Isuru Meekiri close to Agbopura town said that he supplies more than 400 litres of curd to the market daily. He also plans to set up a yoghurt plant.

Now the curd industry could see a resurgence parallel to paddy cultivation, he said.

After the development of the Habarana-Trincomalee highway the arrival of tourists specially domestic tourists has increased considerably. This has encouraged the curd industry.

Tourists are also purchasing more than 200 litres of curd from this area daily. The development of roads is essential progress.

With the development of the A-6 road on the Habarana-Trincomalee highway, a large number of boutiques, tea shops and road side sellers has come up along both sides of the road from Hatharaskotuwa to Kantale. Women and men can be seen along the road with bundles of firewood, fruits like cashew, would apple, lime and slim apple (Beli).

Premasiri said that he also supplies enough milk to Highland/Milco companies.

Premasiri told the Sunday Observer that nine people are working in his curd factory and he plans to give employment to nearly 20 persons after developing his factory.

He is also running a dairy farm parallel to the curd industry. Premasiri has won the first prize in 2010 for good cattle breeding in the Eastern province.

The Central Bank implemented assistance programs to uplift the dairy industry in the Eastern province.

He said that lack of pasture land hampers his industry. He has requested a plot of land to develop the industry. Pasture land is crucial to promote the industry. The present facilities are insufficient, he says. Premasiri said that he could supply curd to Kandy, Warakapola, Colombo and Ambalangoda markets, because of the increase in production. Curd producers are seeking Government help to provide basic facilities to develop this industry. Under the first phase of the proposed development program, Premasiri plans to plant grass in a five-acre land area to feed milch cows and buffalos.

Premasiri Karunaratne another main curd producer in the area said that he is engaged in this industry for more than 30 years. He does not have his own dairy farm. He purchases milk from other dairy farmers. As the price of milk has gone up running this industry has become difficult for him.

The price of clay pots used to store curd has also gone up. A curd farmers' income is only sufficient for his daily need. After the recent floods dairy production of the area has declined by almost 50 percent.

Earlier he purchased more than 500 litres of milk daily for curd production. "We used to sell a huge quantity of milk to the Milk Board and used a portion for curd production", he said.

"We supply curd to Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa, Gampaha and most parts of the country. A bottle of milk is purchased at Rs. 40. One and a half litres of milk is needed to make a pot of curd".

During rainy days, curd production drops. He said that there are 10 to 15 persons who are engaged in large scale curd production. With the increase of the number of curd producers production has increased to a very great extent", he said.