Sri Lanka, Brazil move to strengthen dairy sector cooperation

Wednesday, 30 September 2026 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Cabinet has approved the signing of a supplementary agreement with Brazil to pave the way for implementing a technical cooperation project aimed at developing Sri Lanka’s dairy industry, Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday.

Speaking at the press briefing to announce decisions taken by the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday,

Dr. Jayatissa said the initiative builds on a basic Technical Cooperation Agreement signed between Sri Lanka and Brazil on 16 September 2008.

Under the agreement, a high-level delegation of Brazilian experts visited Sri Lanka in 2023 to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the technical assistance required for the development and capacity building of the country’s dairy and sugarcane sectors.

He said, based on the findings of the Brazilian technical team and a concept paper submitted by Sri Lanka’s National Science Foundation to the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, the two countries had agreed to prepare a cooperation agreement, including a logical framework, to implement a dairy industry development project.

The Cabinet has therefore approved a proposal submitted by Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister to sign a Supplementary Adjustment Agreement between the Governments of Sri Lanka and Brazil.

Dr.Jayatissa said signing the supplementary agreement was a prerequisite for subsequently entering into a cooperation agreement among the Brazilian Cooperation Agency of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal University of Viçosa and the Government of Sri Lanka.

The cooperation agreement will provide the framework for implementing the project aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka’s dairy industry through Brazilian technical expertise and assistance.

In 2025, Sri Lanka produced 431.5 million litres of cow milk and 92.5 million litres of buffalo milk, up from 311 million litres and 71 million litres a decade ago according to Department of Census and Statistics data.