Business Rural Winter 2021

12 | DAIRY PEOPLE » Tharanga Senavirathna NZ the ‘best place’ for dairy farming Russell Fredric N ew Zealand is a cool place to live and work in a land of opportunity, Sri Lankan Tharanga Senavirathna says. A dairy farm manager, Tharanga moved from Mt Somers, Canterbury, to Waimate on gypsy day during the recent floods at the end of May to take up a position on a 346 hectare farm, Ikawai, which is on leased land with a herd totalling 1250 cows. Tharanga is the 2021 New Zealand Dairy Indus- try Awards Canterbury North Otago Dairy Manager of the year runner-up and has full responsibility for running Ikawai which employs up to six staff. The award came as quite a surprise as he was aware of the high standard of the entrants. A first-time entrant, Tharanga is proud of the progress he has made since beginning as a farm assistant in 2014. While his new position would have ideally been as a contract milker, Tharanga is still waiting to have his immigration application to be reviewed after 18 months, consequently he is not able to be self- employed and to move on in his dairy career without residency. He has been in New Zealand for seven years. Ikawai is a joint venture company operation with the herd also being owned by the company. Thanranga’s curriculum vitae includes a Bachelor of Science in agricultural science and management gained in Sri Lanka plus Primary ITO level four and level five qualifications in dairy farming and production management respectively. Both Tharanga and his former employer, 50/50 sharemilkers Jared and Victoria Clarke who had Ph: 0800 002 639 Mob: 027 438 3596 Email: contract1995@hotmail.com Specialising in Pond Construction, Earth Moving, Scraper, Digger, Grader Hire, Boarder Dyking & Track Work etc B. R. Jones Contracting, RD 5, Ashburton Mt Somers Excavation Ltd Alistair Parris Owner / Operator - 20 Hinds Gorge Rd RD 8 Ashburton 7778 Ph: 027 434 7278 | E: mtsomersexcavation@xtra.co.nz | www.mtsomersexcavation.co.nz • GENERAL FARM MAINTENANCE • ALKATHENE PIPE LAYING • IRRIGATION MAINLINE TRENCHING • 8, 14 & 20 TONNE DIGGERS • TIP TRUCK & TRAILER • GRADER • SCREEN SHINGLE SUPPLIES • TREE REMOVAL Precision Spreading rrspreading.co.nz Call 03 302 8650 info@rrspreading.co.nz 55 Line Road, Methven, 7730, Mid Canterbury. Manufacturing • Silage feed-out wagons • Multi bale feeders • 2 bale feeders • Vee-Rakes and Line-Rakes Manufacturers of High quality farming equipment “Built Strong, Built to Last” Proudly supporting Richard Wright and Tharanga Senavirathna 48B Lunns Road, Middleton, CHCH • 03-348 7800 • taegenz@hotmail.com Proudly supporting Richard Wright & Tharanga Senavirathna played a significant role in his career, saw the move to Waimate as an excellent opportunity and a great step-up in his career. “It’s a big herd and a lot of staff,” Tharanga says. His role encompasses overall responsibility for the cows, grass, staff, and management, including dealing with contractors. • to page 13 Farm manager Tharanga Senavirathna with wife Jilani Wijenayake and daughter Ivy Amelia. Tharanga fixing a water trough on a runoff property.