Sri Lanka’s dairy farmers, a backbone of the nation’s agricultural landscape, are facing a multitude of challenges, including a shortage of veterinarians and development officers, issues with grazing land, and concerns about privatisation. These problems are impeding the country’s ability to achieve self-sufficiency in dairy production.
Vital demands
All Ceylon Dairy Farmers’ Association President Susantha Kumara Navaratne shed light on the critical demands and struggles faced by dairy farmers across the nation. One pressing concern is the lack of veterinarians and development officers, with many having migrated abroad or preparing to do so. These professionals play an essential role in maintaining animal health and providing necessary guidance to farmers.
“One issue is the lack of veterinarians as most have migrated or are migrating overseas. There is a similar dearth in development officers as well. The farmers are also highlighting the lack of resources for those officers who are still carrying out their duties in Sri Lanka.”
A recent issue that has emerged is the potential sale of farms owned by the National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) to India’s Amul company. Dairy farmers are also opposing the sale of Milco, a State-owned company, to Amul. Farmers fear that privatisation could disrupt this critical supply chain.
“A more recent demand of the dairy farmers is that the farms of the NLDB not be sold to India’s Amul. They are also protesting against the sale of Milco to Amul. The NLDB farms were established to ensure that dairy farmers are able to procure healthy cows for their dairy production. Now the Government is looking to sell it to a private company.”
He added that a lack of grazing land was also a pressing issue.
“Another problem is the lack of grazing land for the cattle of dairy farmers. This issue was exacerbated due to the drought. It is a little better with the rains, but once the Maha season starts the issue will rise again because the paddy land will be utilised for cultivation. The problem is that specific land for grazing has not been identified and allocated for dairy farmers. The Government must take action to provide the infrastructure and support to dairy farmers because then we can be self-sustaining in our dairy products and the Government would not have to spend foreign currency on importing such items.”
Scarcity of grazing land
All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation National Organiser Namal Karunaratne highlighted the significance of grazing land for dairy farmers. The Hambantota, Monaragala, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara Districts host the highest numbers of dairy farmers in Sri Lanka.
The primary issue that these farmers confront is the dearth of grazing land for their substantial cattle herds. Traditionally, farmers turned to harvested paddy fields as grazing land for their cows. This approach, while common, is rife with challenges due to the private nature of these lands and the sheer size of the cattle herds.
“These farmers have large herds of cattle – up to 300-400 animals per farmer – and they usually have a place of recognition within their village. They are known as ‘gambaara’. This is a term of respect. Usually what happens is that paddy land, once harvested and cleared, is given as grazing land for the cows because grass grows in abundance in the fields now devoid of paddy. However, this is not practical because it is private land and the cattle herds are too large,” Karunaratne pointed out.
In an effort to ensure their cattle have adequate grazing space, dairy farmers release them in State-owned land in forest areas. Unfortunately, State authorities often restrict this practice. The Department of Wildlife, in particular, has taken a tough stance against the practice, leading to reprimands and legal cases against farmers.
“Dairy farmers find State land in forest areas where there is plenty of grass and release their cows for grazing. However, State authorities don’t allow this and the Department of Wildlife reprimands them or files legal cases against these farmers. As a result, these cattle farmers face a serious problem as they don’t have a place for their cattle herds to graze and rest.
“During the time Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka was the Minister of Wildlife, discussions were held between the Minister and dairy farmers’ unions, which I too attended, and a temporary agreement was reached for the farmers to be allowed to release their cattle in State-owned land for grazing for a period of one year. After that period was over, for a while, the farmers were still allowed to do this and we would also intervene and get permission when possible.”
Struggles and corruption allegations
The situation is further complicated by allegations of bribery against Wildlife Department officials. In a challenging predicament, these officials are accused of demanding bribes when they find farmers using State land for cattle grazing.
“There is also another problem, which is that Wildlife Department officials demand bribes from farmers. When a Wildlife Department official catches a farmer using State land illegally for cattle grazing, they demand a bribe in return for not pressing charges. The farmer is obviously more agreeable to a small bribe of around Rs. 5,000 to the officer instead of having to pay a hefty fine after being taken to courts. Therefore, the farmers are put in a difficult position, because they need to feed their cows somehow.”
Karunaratne added that Wildlife Department officials had raised concerns that some individuals hunted and poached in protected areas under the guise of cattle herding. In response, dairy farmers have emphasised that they have no motive for killing wildlife, as they prioritise animal care. Instead, allegations have arisen of Wildlife officials using firearms for poaching and now being unable to do so due to potential witnesses among the cattle farmers.
“Wildlife Department officials allege that people go into protected land to hunt and poach in the guise of cattle herding. In response, farmers point out that as animal farmers, they don’t kill wildlife as they care for animals and that it is the Wildlife officials who have firearms and engage in poaching and are now unable to do so because the cattle farmers would witness their illegal activities. Both sides are slinging allegations at each other.”
Prospects for dairy self-sufficiency
Sri Lanka presently only produces about 35% of the country’s dairy requirements, with the remaining 65% being imported. To bridge this gap and achieve self-sufficiency, it is crucial for the Government to provide the necessary infrastructure and support to the dairy industry.
Karunaratne asserted that there was a need for proper management of grazing lands and regulatory measures to foster the growth of the dairy industry. Without proper regulation and support, the country will struggle to attain self-sufficiency in dairy production, continuing to rely on imports to meet its dairy needs.
“We can easily be self-sufficient in milk if the necessary infrastructure and assistance is provided by the Government. There must be proper management of grazing land and regulation as well for the dairy industry. The problem is that there is no regulation.”
As dairy farmers navigate these multifaceted challenges, they look to authorities for guidance and assistance in securing Sri Lanka’s dairy industry’s future.
Land Ministry notified
Ministry of Agriculture Secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe, speaking to The Sunday Morning, acknowledged that protests of dairy farmers from various parts of the country, in addition to the Eastern Province, had been ongoing for over a month, demanding grazing land.
“Not only in the Batticaloa District but also in the Northern and North Western Provinces, as well as in some parts of the south, dairy farmers have requested grazing land. This is an issue regarding land,” he said.
He went on to say that the issue had been raised with the Ministry of Land.
“We have brought this matter to the attention of the Ministry of Land and made a request to identify and allocate land when and wherever possible,” Samarasinghe told The Sunday Morning.