Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has opened a dried fish processing facility and an ice plant on K. Kanduohgiri as part of efforts to expand production and improve distribution to the Greater Male' area market.
The facilities were inaugurated on yesterday by Fisheries State Minister Mohamed Muththalib during a ceremony attended by MIFCO Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Mohamed Anas, along with officials from the Fisheries Ministry and the company.
Anas described the new facilities as an important step in expanding MIFCO's production for the domestic market.
He said locating the processing facility close to Male' would reduce logistical challenges in transporting products to retailers.
"One of our biggest challenges has been processing and transporting products to the Male' area. The Kanduohgiri dried fish factory will address these logistical challenges and help ensure a consistent supply to the market," he said.
According to Anas, products from MIFCO's Kooddoo operations will continue to serve the southern atolls, while production from Kanduohgiri will primarily supply the Greater Male' region.
MIFCO said the dried fish factory has a processing capacity of three tonnes per day, while the adjacent ice plant is capable of producing 25 tonnes of ice daily.
The facility has already begun producing smoked and dried fish and is expected to expand production to include products such as rihaakuru and muguri mas (shredded dried tuna).
According to MIFCO, the factory has been equipped with modern fish processing and drying facilities and operates under the required health and safety approvals, with quality control measures comparable to those at its other production sites.
Kanduohgiri, which had previously been under the control of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) for state purposes, was transferred to MIFCO earlier this year.
The company said the island is also expected to become a hub for fish and seafood exports once construction of a cold storage facility is completed.
