BAN ON CATTLE SLAUGHTER

As a country with an economy based on agriculture, the contribution of the cattle resource to develop the livelihood of the rural people of Sri Lanka is immense

The Cabinet, at its meeting on Monday, has given tentative approval to ban cattle slaughter in Sri Lanka under certain conditions based on a proposal made by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Co-cabinet spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

He said action would be taken to amend the Animal Act No.29 of 1958 on cattle slaughter and Ordinance No.9 of 1893 and other related laws and regulations passed by the local authorities relating to cattle slaughter currently in force in the country while steps would be taken to import the required stocks of meat and provide it at a concessionary price to the people who consume beef. “As a country with an economy based on agriculture, the contribution of the cattle resource to develop the livelihood of the rural people of Sri Lanka is immense.

Various parties have pointed out that the livestock resource required for traditional farming purposes is insufficient due to the rise in cattle slaughter and the insufficient livestock resource is an obstacle to uplift the local dairy industry which enabling development of the livelihood of the rural people while reducing the substantial amount of foreign exchange attracted towards foreign countries on imported milk powder,” the minister said.