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Tuesday, 19 March 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Economic Affairs, Livestock Development, Irrigation and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri Lanka signed a contract agreement with French company Boccard to develop dairy farming and processing in the presence of the France to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Ambassador Eric Lavertu.
The program includes the complete modernisation of six mini dairy processing plants managed by six dairy entities that are served by more than thirty local milk collection centres across Sri Lanka. The funding of 13.9 million euros (approximately Rs. 2,514 million) is facilitated by a soft loan from the French Government and monitored locally by the French Embassy in Sri Lanka and Maldives.
The preselected six mini dairy entities, located in Kaduwela, Attanagalle, Wariyapola, Polonnaruwa, Wennappuwa and Batticaloa will reach a global capacity of 4,500 litres per day thanks to state-of-the-art and computerised monitoring equipment installed by Boccard a well reputed dairy technology company in France.
Boccard is a French family-owned business with over 100 years of experience as a turnkey integrator. With 3,500 employees across 35 countries, it is recognised as a leader in customised process solutions for the dairy, food and Ingredients industries.
The company’s expertise spans from design and engineering, to manufacturing and installation, and through commissioning and after sales services. The expert teams design/build comprehensive and customised process solutions for advanced equipment from standalone skids, tanks and vessels, to entire turnkey facilities.
The company benefits from extensive, worldwide experience and references in the design and modernisation of food and ingredients plants, especially for fresh dairy products, with key players and local producers.
It is expected to distribute homogenised, pasteurised and sterilised milk produced in those local areas which will be packed into 180 ml pouches and 500 ml bottles and distributed to children attending schools in the neighbouring areas.
Boccard’s dairy processing experts will provide a turnkey solution to support milk collection, processing, and packaging, as well as a dedicated farmers’ training program. The Government of Sri Lanka aims to achieve self-sufficiency in dairy production by 2020 through this initiative. The program also works to stabilise and increase the local shareholders incomes, helps sustain rural employment, and improves the nutritional level of the rural population.
