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No benefits to dairy farmers from cattle slaughter ban: All-Ceylon Farmers’ Federation

27 Oct 2021

  • Farmers’ federation says move angers farmers due to inability to sell cashable assets
  • Claims move is ‘politically rewarding to Govt., a distraction for public’
BY Dinitha Rathnayake The cattle slaughter ban will not benefit the local dairy farmers, according to the All-Ceylon Farmers’ Federation (ACFF). Speaking to The Morning, ACFF Convenor Namal Karunaratne said that the move has angered farmers because completely banning the sale of cattle for slaughter will leave them unable to sell their cattle, which was earlier considered a cashable asset. The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to ban cattle slaughter in the country in what it said is an effort to increase local agriculture and dairy production; however, rights activists have criticised the move, claiming that it targets a particular community. The ban on cattle slaughter was originally approved by the Government, two months after it won the 2020 Parliament Election in a landslide victory. In September 2020, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s proposal to the Cabinet to ban the slaughter of cattle in the country was approved. Karunaratne added that from time to time, the Government has engaged in putting forward proposals to distract the public. “We see this cattle slaughter ban as an attempt to distract the public. The cattle slaughter ban is politically rewarding,” he said. The State Ministry of Livestock, Farm Promotion, and Dairy and Egg-Related Industries is currently holding stakeholder discussions regarding the practical implementation of the cattle slaughter ban. “Discussions are ongoing about a number of issues such as what steps will be taken to deal with ageing cows, and how imports will have to meet the demand of domestic households for beef,” Livestock, Farm Promotion, and Dairy and Egg Related Industries State Ministry Secretary S. Senanayake had told The Morning earlier. He said that current discussions have brought forward a number of ideas, including the need for allocating specific land areas in different regions for ageing cows. “Sri Lanka already imports beef for the hotel and tourism industry. With the upcoming implementation of the ban, we are now considering how these imports can also meet the domestic household demand. Our discussions are with the Agriculture Ministry, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other stakeholders,” added Senanayake. The Cabinet on 18 October approved the amendment of five laws to ensure that the cattle slaughter ban could be given force and effect in the ambit of the law. Therefore, the Cabinet has approved that the Butchers Ordinance, No. 9 of 1893; the Animals Act, No. 29 of 1958; the Municipal Councils Ordinance, No. 29 of 1947; the Urban Councils Ordinance, No. 61 of 1939; and the Pradeshiya Sabhas Act, No. 15 of 1987 be amended to allow the necessary provisions to be enacted to enforce the ban on cattle slaughter. Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Gunawardana told The Morning earlier this year that this is being done to benefit the country’s dairy farm industry, and that although the provisions would cover the ban of cattle slaughter for the purposes of meat, the import of beef would still be allowed. When inquired as to how the problem of ageing cows would be solved, he said that there are plans to export the ageing cows.


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