Lankan milk powder for export

Self sufficiency in three years:

By Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Ariyaseela Wickramanayake	Group General Manager, Prasad Haputhanthrie

"Made in Sri Lanka" milk powder will be exported next month under the brand Pelwatte Milk Powder for the first time bringing pride to the country.

In addition plans are also under way to make Hambantota and Uva Wellassa areas self-sufficient in milk in three months.

People in these areas will consume 'made in Sri Lanka' milk products setting bench marks in the country while all foreign dairy imports would not be seen on shelves as local products would be available in plenty.

The first consignment of 'made in Sri Lanka' dairy products would be exported to the Maldives when the first phase of the Hambantota harbour will be completed at end of the year.

The pioneering venture was launched by entrepreneur Ariyaseela Wickramanayaka who was the behind the mentor of the Hambantota harbour project. "We are planning to export milk powder to Bangladesh next year, said Chairman, Pelwatte Group, Wickramanayaka.

AGM, factory A. R. Dayananda at the milk collecting point

Putting the final touches

Over 26 percent of the New Zealand GDP is made up of export of dairy products and it is sad to note that Sri Lanka is among the top three importers of milk products along with China and Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka's annual milk import bill is at a staggering Rs. 3 billion. He said that he pioneered the concept of producing milk locally and added that Sri Lanka spends a lot foreign exchange to make New Zealand rich when its neighbour, India is self-sufficient in milk.

Sri Lanka has enough cows and the technical know-how to manufacture powdered milk. "I have taken the initiative and I hope other entrepreneurs would follow", he said.

Wickramanayaka said that he is happy that he is able to export his first consignment from the Hambantota port.

The new milk powder factory Pix : Shirajiv Sirimane

Deputy General Manager G. Wickramage Some of the products

"I told several political leaders about the benefits of constructing a harbour in Hambantota but none of them responded positively until President Mahinda Rajapaksa took steps to implement the project", he said.

He said that he decided to buy the Pelwatte Sugar Company in 1982 to help poor families who depended on it. "The complex was closed down to the absence of good management and Union problems. I made it a profitable venture, he recalled.

Wickramanayaka said that he manufactured animal feed, dairy products, and generated electricity from sugarcane waste.

"Sugarcane cannot be harvest regularly and people had to face difficulties during the off-season. I decided to manufacture dairy products so that sugarcane cultivators could be employed as dairy farmers", he said.

"The income of dairy farmers have increased", he said.

The company has invested Rs. 1.8 billion to set up the latest addition of manufacturing powdered milk. The equipment was imported from Denmark and it is said that this plant is one of the most modern Powdered Milk factories in the world, another accolade where Sri Lankans could be proud of.

The new plant will also provide employment to over 170 graduates and Technicians in the area while new diary farmers will be set up due to this project.

"My aim is to make Ampara, Udawalawe, Badulla, Monaragala and Hambantota self sufficient in dairy and which would cater to 15 percent of the country's need," he said.

He also commended the government for the assistance provided to make this venture a success through the 'Gamata Karmantha' concept under Mahinda Chinthanaya. "We are now awaiting a date from President Mahinda Rajapaksa to commission the milk powder factory," he said.

Group General Manager, Pelwatte Group of Companies Prasad Haputhanthrie said that plans are a foot to provide two milch cows to sugarcane farmers so that they could be direct suppliers to the factory. The company is also opening up several collecting outlets in many parts of the South and Uva provinces with modern equipment. 'We are also in the process of arranging credit facilities to purchase cows for farmers through the Bank of Ceylon,' he said.

Commenting on the production facility he said hygienic standards will be maintained to ensure the quality of production.

"We are now in the process of testing the plant with Danish experts who are carrying out installations and also training the local staff," he said.

Commenting on the production line he said that they would use 150,000 litres of fresh milk a day and would be in a position to convert 10 tons of powdered milk, 25,000 yoghurt cups in four flavours, ice-cream cups and bulk, 5 tons Butter per day in the initial stage. In addition pasteurized and sterilise milk too would be marketed in bottles.

Their aim is to supply Uva, Eastern and Southern provinces and the balance to Colombo at the initial stage.

Sri Lanka has over 1.5 million cows of which only 250,000 are being milked and with more milk powder factories coming up Sri Lanka can be self sufficient in dairy in three years saving the country Rs. 3 billion annually.