Special emphasis on transforming local dairy production, livestock farming in upcoming budget: President

Colombo, August 11 (Daily Mirror) - President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the upcoming budget will place special emphasis on transforming local dairy production and livestock farming into fully-fledged industries.

The President emphasised the need to prioritise sectors vital to reviving the national economy, instructing officials to focus on initiatives that will enable agriculture, livestock, land and irrigation to make a stronger contribution to economic growth when planning the upcoming budget, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

President Dissanayake chaired a meeting this morning at the Presidential Secretariat to review projects implemented under the 2025 budget allocations for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, and to discuss pre-budget proposals for 2026.

He held separate discussions with officials on agriculture, livestock, land and irrigation, issuing directives to expedite the resolution of state-owned land issues and to establish a comprehensive sector-wide data system.

The President underscored that these areas form a core part of the government’s strategy to eradicate rural poverty and integrate rural communities into the broader economy.

President Dissanayake also noted that financial allocations alone are insufficient. He stressed the need to ensure that the benefits of projects are effectively delivered to the public and called for the strengthening of mechanisms necessary to achieve this goal.