NZ-SL

Fonterra, a New Zealand-based dairy co-operative, is supporting the new dairy cooperation deal between the Governments of New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Fonterra director and farmer-shareholder John Monaghan said the agreement will help formalise and support further public and private sector dairy sector cooperation between the two countries.

"The New Zealand dairy industry and Fonterra have a long history working with the Sri Lankan dairy industry," Monaghan added.

"Fonterra has been collecting milk for the last 16 years to support the development of fresh dairy products.

"Today’s agreement signals a clear pathway for the New Zealand Government and Fonterra to significantly increase New Zealand’s investment in dairy development in Sri Lanka over the next decade."

Fonterra, which has been collecting milk in Sri Lanka for the last 16 years, is planning to invest in model farms to train local farmers and provide a sustainable milk source for its fresh dairy business, invest in more milk collection centres, and build on the Farmer Education and Development programme to ensure more farmers are producing larger volumes of high quality milk.

Fonterra Brands Lanka managing director Leon Clement said by working with local farmers to improve the quality of their milk, Fonterra has managed to grow local milk collection to 30,000l of locally produced fresh milk, every day.

"Fonterra is built on more than 200 years of dairying tradition and we want to use our knowledge and expertise to help develop Sri Lankan dairy capabilities to create better and more prosperous farms, and communities," Clement added.

"By investing in local farmer education and development, as well as training local employees at our own milk collection centres, we have already significantly enhanced the quality of the milk collected over the last decade.

"Under the Dairy Cooperation Agreement, Fonterra will look to build on this further, continuing to focus on both milk production and milk quality," Clement concluded.

Image: With New Zealand-Sri Lanka Dairy Cooperation deal, Fonterra aims to focus on milk production and milk quality. Photo courtesy of antpkr/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.