Livestock Development State Minister D. B. Herath said that the country has reached a point of self sufficiency in egg and poultry meat production. As a result, they are now contemplating the possibility of exporting eggs in the coming years.
He said that with the COVID crisis, the poultry industry within the country collapsed and a situation arose where the requirement for chicken and eggs in the country could not be fulfilled and at that time, the Trade Ministry intervened and took steps to import eggs.
Herath made these comments while speaking to the media subsequent to an event held at the Kundasale Agricultural College yesterday (19) to award certificates to 700 Agriculture Diploma Holders.
He said that when the poultry farming industry collapsed, the Agriculture Ministry intervened and took measures such as providing duty payable on the import of animal feed and providingnecessary guidelines to the farmers and through this, the industry has made significant progress and has been built up to a situation where there is no necessity to import eggs.
State Minister D.B.Herath said that even as of now, chicken is being exported to middle-eastern countries and plans will be made to export eggs in the same way.
Asela Kuruluwansa