Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the Livestock Division of the Ministry to take steps to import 200,000 hatching eggs to Sri Lanka.
Authorities said the shortage of animal feed as well as the decrease in the annual import of parent birds from 80,000 to 40,000 has led to the reduction of the monthly egg production to 30 million.
The decrease in parent birds imported last year has affected poultry productions.
Since egg production may be delayed by 11 months when importing parent birds, it has been decided to import hatching eggs as an alternative.
The Department of Animal Production and Health has prepared necessary preliminary work in this regard and the procedure for breeding parent birds from imported hatching eggs will be implemented using the two hatcheries located in Miriswatta and Marawila farms under the Livestock Development Board.
Steps have been taken to transfer the importation of hatching eggs to the National Livestock Development Board and private sector institutions while the Livestock Development Division at the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Production and Health provide necessary facilities.
If these hatching eggs are imported before the end of February, the production of eggs can be brought to a higher level by next May and June, the officials of the Livestock Development Division pointed out.
