32 | nzdairy 2026 goal for 50:50 sharemilker status Ange Davidson DAIRY PEOPLE » Buddhi Alankarage A successful contract milking arrangement with Zoetermeer Agriculture Ltd near Rotorua has provided the pathway for Buddhi Alankarage to become a 50/50 sharemilker by 2026. Buddhi has managed the 170ha property in Waikite Valley near Rotorua for owners Greg McCullough and Jose Franco for over two years. As contract milkers and farm managers of the 520cow herd, Buddhi and his wife Chamila, provide their own staff and pay their wages, cover the cost of running the milking shed, pay for plant hygiene chemicals, rubber wears,and provide their own vehicles and Fuel. In return, they are paid $1.63 for a kilogram of milk solids, $45 per calf replacement and 40% of bull calf sales. Last year milk solids came to a total of 221,496kg, an increase of 24,000 kg since starting his contract. Arriving in New Zealand in August 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and several years farming experience in Sri Lanka, Buddhi started his dairy farming journey as an assistant herd manager in the South Island, to be made herd manager a year and a half later. He then moved to Waimate to manage 1500 cows and in 2016, Buddhi and Chamila and their young family moved to the North Island to manage a 700 cow dairy farm in Okato before taking the step into contract milking one year later. “I’m looking forward to 2026 when we will buy a herd and start share milking as a 50/50 farm opportunity. We built a house in Papamoa in 2019 and we will sell this to buy a herd,” says Buddhi. Contract milker Buddhi Alankarage gets a helping hand from his daughter on the Waikite Valley property. “Once I own a herd, I will earn 50% of a farm’s total income. This arrangement suits farmers who have the land but no cows. They may be retired from farming but want to stay on the land.” “Greg and Joe are reliable farm owners. They are very easy to deal with and understand where I’m heading. They are very good to me.” Buddhi employs two full time staff members and a part time relief milker to help run the 36-a-side Herringbone milking shed. His excellent staff management was recognised at the NZ Dairy Industry awards with the People and Culture award and Federated Farmer’s Leadership award last year. “I train my staff and look after them well with easy rostered time off, and make sure everyone gets long breaks over the weekend. When they are happy, they enjoy their work. I want to help them become contract milkers. They can learn from me and start their own businesses.” “I encourage all my staff to enjoy agricultural courses through Primary ITO and encourage them to take part in local farmer discussion groups and workshops. This makes it easier for them and for me,” he believes. “If you don’t treat your staff well, they will go to another place. It’s a competitive market to get staff, and we want to keep them.” Buddhi is disappointed that it has become difficult for people from overseas to gain residency through agriculture as immigration rules have got tougher over the past five years. Immigration processing costs are now put onto the farmer, and it is taking about three months to complete a successful application. 07 348 3628 | 19White St, Rotorua | www.abcmilkingsolutions.co.nz
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