Camels, ostriches to fill Sri Lanka food gaps - ABC Online

A new initiative in Sri Lanka could see the introduction of camels and ostriches to the country in a bid to curb food shortages.


Although more than two decades of civil war ended last year, people in some areas of Sri Lanka are still finding the cost of food painfully high, and thousands of children suffer malnutrition.

The deputy minister for livestock development, HR Mithrapala, says Sri Lanka is interested in possibly importing camels from Saudi Arabia to supply milk for locals and tourists.

He says the nation may also import ostriches to increase egg supplies.

Mr Mithrapala told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program the plan is mainly about diversifying the diet of Sri Lankans.

"There is no food scarcity - we have enough food. What we want to do now is try varieties, different types of things we've seen in the world," he said.

"So if we can have our own things it's better and people can enjoy it, especially the Muslim people in the country - they're very much interested and they like it."

Sri Lanka imports basic food products including milk, chickens, eggs and most recently coconuts - a product it had been exporting for many years.

But Mr Mithrapala says products such as tea and rubber, which continue to be major Sri Lankan exports, were also originally imported.

Dr Harsha de Silva, an economist and an MP from the main opposition party, the UNP, says inflation has led to decreases in food spending and affordability.

He says addressing this, rather than diversifying the diet, should be the main concern.

"Our people need to be able to consume more of what we're eating now," he said.

"Forget about diversifying, diversifying can be done later, but food has to become affordable in this country.

"One [area to be addressed] is agricultural policy, one is the trade policy.

"We need to be able to have coherence in these policies so that people can afford a decent three meals a day."

The government is still in discussions about the cost of bringing in camels and ostriches.

Mr Mithrapala says a decision will be made in the next year.