The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the import of high-quality genetic dairy cattle from Pakistan to enhance local milk production.
A budget of Rs. 100 million each was allocated in 2023 and 2024 to acquire these genetically superior dairy cattle. However, due to complications in the procurement process, the required cattle have not been acquired so far.
To address this issue, the government has explored options for direct government-to-government transactions for the purchase of suitable cattle. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), with the assistance of the Pakistan High Commission, has agreed to supply seven seminal male cattle from the Sahiwal and Nili-Ravi breeds to Sri Lanka.
Additionally, the government has decided to purchase 20,000 semen doses from Sahiwal cattle from the National Dairy Development Board of India as part of a government-to-government agreement. This will continue until the imported bulls are in place and the bull semen is produced.
The Cabinet has approved the proposal from the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation to acquire five Sahiwal bulls and two Nili-Ravi buffaloes from Pakistan and to purchase 20,000 doses of Sahiwal bull semen from India for artificial insemination purposes.
