Nestlé says the new center in Urumpirai, Jaffna District, will enable farmers in the area to preserve the quality and freshness of their milk, collecting only the excess amount after meeting the needs of the farming families.
The new facility will be equipped with testing equipment and farmers will be paid for the quality of milk they provide – the higher the quality, the higher the price they will receive.
Nestlé is Sri Lanka’s largest private sector collector of fresh milk, procuring milk from close to 20,000 dairy farmers daily, to manufacture products including Nespray, Milo and Milkmaid.
Involvement since 1980s
The company has been involved in the local dairy sector since the early 1980s, working closely with the local government and farmers with the aim of increasing local fresh milk production and helping the country become self-sufficient in fresh milk.
Shivani Hegde, managing director for Nestlé, said the company is committed to sourcing fresh milk locally and will continue to provide local consumers with dairy based products.
“With the opening of this new milk chilling center in Urumpirai, we hope to not only increase the supply and quality of milk of our farmers in the North but also provide them a livelihood that is sustainable,” Hegde said.
Additional assistance
Nestlé also conducts farmer training and development programs in Sri Lanka; sharing technical expertise and best practices on cattle feeding and breeding, animal health and farm management and quality assurance.
In addition to promoting artificial insemination for breeding high-yield cows, it also provides equipment, medicine, and financial assistance to develop dairy farms.