The current Sri Lankan government is unlikely to continue the previous administration’s approach of collaborating with India’s Amul for the development of the dairy sector, an informed source revealed yesterday.
Under the previous government, Sri Lanka sought support from India’s National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and market leader Amul to enhance dairy production and achieve self-sufficiency. Reports at the time suggested that Sri Lanka’s state-owned dairy company, Milco, and local dairy farms were to be incorporated into a Sri Lanka-India joint venture with Amul Dairy, which is owned by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), representing 3.6 million milk producers.
An initial agreement was signed by the previous administration, prompting protests from trade unions associated with the National People’s Power (NPP), which was then in opposition. Now in power, the NPP-led government has decided not to pursue the plan.
During a recent visit to India by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, discussions took place on bilateral cooperation for developing Sri Lanka’s dairy sector. Both nations emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration to promote self-sufficiency and nutritional security, as stated in the joint communiqué issued after the visit.
However, the discussions did not include any involvement of Amul or the agreements made by the previous government. According to sources, the new government remains firmly opposed to the outright sale of state assets.
Source – dailymirror.lk https://www.dailymirror.lk/top-story/Govt-gives-up-on-Amul/155-298837
