Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Ahmed Shiyam has stated that a 50-tonne fish processing facility will be built in the southern region.
Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited (MIFCO), the main fish processing company, currently has one 50-tonne fish processing facility at the Felivaru Fisheries Complex. The facility was built 30 years while a 15-tonne fish packing facility was built at the complex five years ago.
Speaking to PSM News, Minister Shiyam said the new administration will prioritise making value-added fish products instead of just processing frozen fish. He also said developing one 50-tonne fish processing facility in the south or two 25-tonne facilities is a major goal of the government as part of its efforts to develop the fisheries sector. He acknowledged the long distance fishermen in the southern region currently have to travel to process their catch.
Additionally, Minister Shiyam said that the government will facilitate easier means to process catch for fishermen in the north as well. He added that the government will evaluate the fish products that are in demand in the international market and focus on exporting those products.