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| Sunday, 30 October 2005 |
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Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Milco, Highland to double production by L. S. A. Wedaarachchi 'Milco', the government owned milk company and the popular "Highland" brand milk powder, yoghurt, ice cream producer will double its production before the end of next month. The government spends Rs. 12 billion annually to import dried milk powder. The huge foreign exchange spent to import dried milk powder can be saved by implementing a systematic program for milk farmers and improving the capacity of milk processing factories in Sri Lanka. According to the Deputy Chairman of Milco (Pvt) Ltd, Chandana Liyanagunawardana Milco was one of the government owned companies scheduled for privatisation owing to the bankruptcy of the UNP government in 2003. He said a new era of Milco dawned in 2004, when the UPFA government took office. A company or an organisation having links with the day to day lives of thousands of milk farmers and small scale traders must work with utmost national responsibility. Milco feels that it has a national responsibility to uplift the nutritional level of people specially the younger generation and also to look after the local milk industry, the Deputy Chairman said. On the instructions of C. B. Ratnayake, Minister of Livestock Development and Rural Human Resource Development Milco has made arrangements to double the production capacity at the Ambewela dried milk factory. As decided on by the treasury the new Two stage drier milk powder plant worth Rs. 400 million will be set up in Ambewela in addition to the present milk powder factory which was awarded the ISO 9001 certification last year. The other milk processing factories in Digana and Colombo will be modernised. According to the Deputy Chairman, 'Highland' dried milk powder which is considered the freshest dried milk powder in Sri Lanka and 'Highland' yoghurt cannot meet the present demand since their capacity is limited. Milco is determined to increase the production capacity of all the factories before the end of next month, he said. Accordingly Milco has revamped the farmer management milk societies in the rural and upcountry villages aiming at more milk supplies from them. The price of a litre of milk will increase by Rs. 3 from November 1. Cattle feed will also be given to farmers and farmer societies at subsidised rates. Milco feels that the present supply of 135,000 litres of milk can go up to 225,000 litres within a few months thereby motivating milk farmers and giving more concessions to them as India did a few decades ago. Highland milk yoghurt, one of the most popular products of the 'Highland' brand range, will add another three flavours namely orange, mixed fruit and strawberry in addition to the present milk flavour. The present sound distribution and marketing network of Milco will also be strenghened to face the increase in production. |
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