The ‘Livestock Day’ of the National Food Production Battle Week was celebrated yesterday (8th Oct.) at the Plant Genetic Resources Centre in Peradeniya, with the participation of the Minister of Rural Economic Affairs P. Harrison. The Livestock Day has been organized with the objective of empowering local dairy farmers.

Accordingly, livestock exhibition has been organized to educate dairy farmers on the modern knowledge of the livestock sector. The dairy farmers had the opportunity to buy equipment at special discounted rates from the exhibition stalls of the state and private sector.

During this event, financial aid was distributed among 320 beneficiary farmers under the projects of improvement to cattle sheds, development of breeding farms and small-scale farms as well as promotion of dairy farming.

In addition, 80 farmers were granted Rs. 60,000 each to develop the dairy farming and Rs.100, 000 each were given to 10 farmers to promote the produce of silage to protect cow food. Social security benefits were also distributed among members of the Milco dairy farmers societies.  Accordingly, under the Livestock Day program over Rs. 79 million were distributed among local dairy farmers to promote the milk production.