STO opens new wholesale center in Malé to expand sale of subsidized staple goods

The State Trading Organization (STO) has opened a new wholesale store in the Malé market area today to expand the sale of staple goods, following an increase in the number of such items sold by the company since October 15 of this year.

The new outlet, "STO People's Choice Wholesale Center 2," was opened in the building previously housing STO Home Improvement, located in front of the North Harbour gate in Malé.

STO stated that the purpose of opening a wholesale center in the market area is to provide the 23 items designated as staple foods, along with other branded products sold by the company, at competitive wholesale prices to both traders and the general public. Furthermore, the location aims to facilitate easy access for boats transporting goods from Malé to the atolls.

The company also noted that the new wholesale store in Malé will establish a system for wholesale purchase of produce from local farmers.

"This will provide farmers with confidence that their produce will be sold, offering new encouragement to further advance their work," STO shared in its media information.

STO added 23 new items to the list of basic foodstuffs starting in October of this year, aiming to find a permanent solution to the unusually high prices of fruits and vegetables in the Maldivian market.

In addition to grain products, STO added the following 23 items to the staple food list since October of this year:

1. Banana

2. Apple

3. Orange

4. Lemon

5. Pomegranate

6. Mango

7. Papaya

8. Watermelon

9. Chili

10. Grapes

11. Onion (Red)

12. Ginger

13. Carrot

14. Eggplant

15. Sweet Potato

16. Garlic

17. Potato

18. Cabbage

19. Pumpkin

20. Bottle Gourd

21. Mung Bean (Yellow)

22. Egg

23. Coconut

STO also plans to open a new outlet in Hulhumalé very soon to further expand the wholesale distribution of these staple food items.

STO confirmed that all these items were already being sold without interruption through the company's two existing stores in Malé: the STO Wholesale Center and STO People's Choice.