It is necessary to produce 740 million litres of milk, 200,000 metric tonnes of poultry and 2,000 million eggs annually to be self sufficient in livestock products by 2016, said Livestock and Rural Community Development Ministry Secretary A. H. Gamage.

He also said that the Livestock and Rural Community Development Ministry had developed a five-year ‘Master Plan’ laying down the policy objectives, strategies, programmes and projects for livestock development.

According to the Secretary, there were about 670,000 farmer families engaged in dairy, poultry, goat and swine farming and 30 to 60 percent of their income was generated from livestock.