Demonstration Dairy Farm – A political gimmick to fool the gullible!

Just look at the recent articles just in the FT, not necessarily in the Milk Business, to show the interest in Dairy in Sri Lanka. I hope the reader gets the picture of the publicity each of these organizations appear to want in this industry.

The NZ PM, Fonterra’s Chairman and the Wildlife Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, opened the 30 acre demonstration farm in Pannala on Tuesday, 24^th February, 2016.

Why is this worthy of such a show? It is PR on the part of NZ and also of the Multinational Fonterra to show their contribution to Sri Lanka and in this instance for Dairy Production.

It is a purely business opportunity, to train farmers, and get them to send their milk to Fonterra who are masters at value addition in this Industry. Every rupee that the farmer is paid is turned into 5 rupees of finished product, and that is what value addition is. It is a good thing, but a profit venture, in the interests of a well run, PR conscious, Organization, owned by the Farmers of New Zealand to be able to market its milk products worldwide with Sri Lanka being probably their third biggest international market.

If Sri Lanka was self sufficient in Milk, this import would not arise, and you can only ask any doctor, worth their profession, what he thinks about the powdered milk that we import, and its true value for nourishment for those who consume it.

Further there was a full page ad in yesterday's FT by Cargills on the virtues of their program, "to empower Sri Lanka farmers to become dairy entrepreneurs" IRONICALLY on the opposite page of Fonterra's model farm opening! Was it a purposely put sock to Fonterra for not putting a full page ad there, and Cargills steals the Thunder, mistaking the reader that it is their handiwork. It is for you to decide.

I am sure the Fonterra PR team must be fretting with fury that Cargills stole the SHOW.

By the way, how many Dairy Farmers read the FT. If you read the FT see below you may think it is Dairy Farmers who are the main business owners in Sri Lanka!!!

February 12^th : http://www.ft.lk/article/524825/Pelwatte-Dairy-empowers-local-dairy-farmers-to-make-Sri-Lanka-self-sufficient-in-milk-production

February 24^th : http://www.ft.lk/article/527065/USAID-helps-Polonnaruwa-dairy-farmers-increase-milk-sales

February 24^th: http://www.ft.lk/article/527059/Levelink-to-work-with--Sri-Lankan-dairy-farmers

February 24^th : http://www.ft.lk/article/527062/Nestl%C3%A9-Lanka-delivers-9--growth--Rs--36-b-sales-in-2015

February 25^th : http://www.ft.lk/article/527381/New-Zealand--Lanka-sign-deal-to-enhance-dairy-cooperation

February 25^th : http://www.ft.lk/article/527297/Fonterra-s-new-training-farm-launched-by-visiting-NZ-PM