50 years of nourishing a nation: How Bairaha defined Sri Lanka's poultry industry

IF you asked most Sri Lankans to describe their ideal lunch menu to you, it is highly likely to include a spicy chicken curry, or some other equally popular preparation.

- By Yakooth Naleem

But especially among younger generations, few may realise that just fifty years ago, chicken was not considered a staple, but rather an infrequent luxury. It was a dish families saved for festive occasions, while most relied on fish and lentils for their daily protein.

At that time, poultry farming was still a small, fragmented industry. Few could have imagined that within a few short decades, chicken would become the most affordable and widely consumed sources of protein, after fish, in the country.

That change didn’t happen by chance. It was built, over five decades through vision, discipline, and a determination to make quality food accessible to every household. When we incorporated Bairaha Farms on 27 October 1975, our purpose was clear: to nourish a nation with quality, care, and integrity. Today, that purpose continues to guide us, even as the world, and our industry evolves around us.

An ambitious journey of firsts

In the early years, we focused on setting the foundation for a modern, self-reliant poultry value chain. By 1976/77, we had established our parent breeder farms and hatchery in Katana, and by 1980/81, we launched commercial broiler farms and a state-of-the-art chicken processing factory, at that time equipped with blast freezers and cool rooms, among the first of their kind in Sri Lanka.

A few years later, in 1985, we introduced contract broiler farming, which allowed rural farmers to become part of a structured supply chain. This model helped strengthen rural economies by offering steady income to growers initially in the Gampaha district and subsequently in Kurunegala and Puttalam districts among others. A number of original partners and their next generations continue to grow with us today.