Govt. seeks funds to expand capacity of Kooddoo, Felivaru

Fisheries Minister Zaha Waheed has announced the government is seeking funds to increase the capacity of Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO)’s subsidiaries Kooddoo Fisheries and Felivaru Fisheries.

Minister Zaha was summoned for questioning by the Economic Affairs Committee of the Parliament last Tuesday.

Speaking at the session, Zaha said the government’s fisheries policy was to cease export of frozen fish and export fish as value added products.

“The export of frozen fish will continue for the time being. It will take some time to remedy the issues. We are currently drafting projects to upgrade additional facilities at Kooddoo and Felivaru,” said Zaha.

She said additional facilities will be established at Kooddoo and Felivaru soon, but did not provide any specifics.

Kooddoo is currently used as a fish weighing and cold storage facility. And Felivaru, in addition to the same services at Kooddoo, also serves as a fish canning factory.

Felivaru currently has the capacity to produce 50 tons of canned fish per day – a small percentage of the total fish purchased by MIFCO.

Speaking at the Jazeera Holhuashi session held at G. Dh. Thinadhoo for local fishermen on July 12, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih noted that only 28-30 percent of fish purchased by MIFCO are canned.

He said that canning more fish would generate more income for MIFCO, enabling it to purchase fish from local fishermen at a higher price and effectively increasing the income of local fishermen.

He announced plans to hold discussions to increase capacity at Kooddoo and Felivaru, and build an additional fish factory at G. Dh. Thinadhoo.