On 14 March 2025, workers of Lonak Estate (likely Indian Tamils based on the location and work) held a protest in front of the animal farm in Watawala town (Nuwara Eliya, Central) against the sale of cows and cattle to butcher shops, which are dying due to various diseases.

Summary

On March 14, 2025, workers at Ronak Farm in the Nuwara Eliya district of Sri Lanka's Central Province held a peaceful protest against the sale of diseased and dead cattle and livestock to butcher shops. While this low-grade protest did not cause direct supply-chain disruptions, it has raised concerns about local livestock farming and food safety.

Supply-chain impact

• Nuwara Eliya is a major tea cultivation region in Sri Lanka, and labor instability in agriculture could indirectly affect tea production
• Concerns over livestock disease spread have raised quality control issues in the regional livestock supply chain
• The protest, centered on Indian Tamil workers, could potentially cause labor disruptions in farm operations and agricultural harvesting
• Risk of declining confidence in Sri Lanka's agricultural sector food safety standards and livestock management systems

Watch points

• Monitor for potential spread of additional farm worker protests within the Nuwara Eliya region and impact on tea production sites
• Track the Sri Lankan government's livestock disease response measures and moves to strengthen livestock industry regulations