Nestlé continues to enhance the livelihood of over 20,000 rural farmers

Commemorates World Milk Day with milk chilling centre in Seeppukulama   Milk farmers in the North-Central village of Seeppukulama will benefit from a milk chilling centre upgraded by Nestlé, offering them increased opportunities to sell their milk to the company. Nestlé is currently the largest private sector collector of milk in the country. Its payment to local dairy farmers over the last three years alone amounts to over Rs. 10.5 billion.   The enhanced milk chilling centre was inaugurated by Minister of Rural Economic Affairs, Hon. P. Harrison, in commemoration of World Milk Day. The unit will benefit around 300 farmers in the area with increased chilling and storage facilities, enabling them to sell more milk and keep it fresh until it is taken to the Nestlé factory in Kurunegala, for manufacturing its wide portfolio of dairy based products.   World Milk Day is a day established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, to recognise the importance of milk as a global food.   Said Minister of Rural Economic Affairs, Hon. P. Harrison, “Dairy products are widely considered to be a foundation of health but current milk supply does not meet full consumer demand. There is huge potential for growth in the dairy industry and we have been working tirelessly over the years to help Sri Lanka become self-sufficient in its local dairy needs. Nestlé has been our oldest partner from the private sector to support our efforts, investing billions of rupees every year for training and development and in payment to farmers for their milk. I have witnessed first-hand their commitment to using local milk for their products, and look forward to their continued support for the betterment of the dairy industry and local community.”     Nestlé has been working closely with local authorities since the early 1980’s to help develop the dairy industry, investing yearly in infrastructure, farmer training and resources, veterinary services, microfinancing assistance, and increasing manufacturing capacity. It re-affirmed its commitment to developing local dairy farmers last year, with the launch of ‘Nestlé Kiri Govi Diriya’. Through the programme, more than 3,000 farmers benefited from training on modern technologies and best practices.   Nestlé hopes to not only increase milk supply and provide local farmers a sustainable livelihood, but also support the Health Ministry’s efforts to increase milk consumption.   Said Shivani Hegde, Nestlé Lanka’s Managing Director, “Nutrition and wellness have always been at the core of Nestlé products, and milk has always been an important part of this endeavor. Milk is naturally rich in calcium and is a good carrier of micronutrient fortification, making it a viable, long-term way to deliver more nutrition to large segments of the population. By helping our dairy farmers to increase supply, we are not only supporting rural livelihoods, but also helping our consumers to increase milk consumption through nutritionally enriched milk products and delicious dairy treats.”   Nestlé’s milk based products like Nespray Everyday, Nespray Fortigrow, Nespray Nutri-Up Ready-To-Drink and Milo Ready-To-Drink, have been specially formulated to offer the taste and nutrients needed by their consumers. These products are also fortified with iron, vitamin A and other micronutrients as appropriate to address micronutrient deficiencies prevalent in the island. To make these products accessible for lower-income groups, Nestlé makes these milks available in affordable formats. Its other dairy products such as Milkmaid Sweetened Condensed Milk, Nestomalt Ready-To-Drink and Nescafé Ready-To-Drink also support the country’s ambition of increasing milk consumption.   Nestlé’s commitment to help improve rural livelihoods and develop thriving, resilient communities, supports the company’s purpose to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future.   Hon. P. Harrison, Minister of Rural Economic Affairs; Asoka Kuruppu, Nestlé Lanka Senior Manager – Agri Serivces; Rohit Mittal, Nestlé Lanka Vice President – Technical; Shivani Hegde, Nestlé Lanka Managing Director and Bandula Egodage, Nestlé Lanka Vice President –  Corporate Affairs and Communications, pouring the milk from the first milk can Asoka Kuruppu, Nestlé Lanka Senior Manager – Agri Serivces; Shivani Hegde, Nestlé Lanka Managing Director; Hon. P. Harrison, Minister of Rural Economic Affairs; Bandula Egodage, Nestlé Lanka Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Communications and Rohit Mittal, Nestlé Lanka Vice President – Technical presenting a gift to P.N.A. Gomas, a Nestlé dairy farmer. Nestlé Dairy Farmers of Seeppukulama   Seeppukulama Nestlé dairy farmer, U.M. Janaka Sanjeewa Fernando and wife P.F.R. Senewirathna