The new factory will produce cheese, butter, yoghurt and flavoured milk including milk powder. It will benefit 20,000 farmer families in the country. It will also provide employment opportunities to scientists, engineers, veterinary surgeons, distributors and technicians, reported Daily News.

“Sri Lanka has spent US$ 300 million to import milk powder last year which is similar to the amount that the country spends for the Hambantota Port within five years. Therefore, it is high time that Sri Lanka stops importing milk powder and utilized full potential of its resources to produce milk powder in the country,” said Pelwatte Sugar Company and Maubima Lanka Foundation Chairman, Ariyaseela Wickramanayake.

There are 1.5 million cows in Sri Lanka but only 250,000 cows are milked and if the country can get milk from 350,000 cows, 70 percent of the milk requirement will be fulfilled, he said.