President: Enough food stock in all islands to last one month

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on Wednesday, said all residential islands had enough staple food products in 

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on Wednesday, said all residential islands had enough staple food products in stock to last one month, in an effort to alleviate fears over a potential food shortage in Maldives following the imposition of lockdowns by countries to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.  

He made the remark at a press conference held at the National Emergency Operations Center this evening.

The President said that the government was engaged in securing additional shipments of staple food products to Maldives.

Shipments of rice and sugar enough to last 10 months will be brought in this March, and shipments of wheat flour enough to last five months will be brought in, in April, he said.

The President’s remarks comes after the India, which has announced a 21-day lockdown, provided assurance Maldives would continue to receive essential supplies of rice, wheat flour and sugar from the country despite the lockdowns and logistical difficulties in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“20 days’ supply of sugar and rice has already been shipped and will arrive in Male’ soon,” and the High Commission in its statement. “Now, another 1,500 metric tonnes of rice and 500 metric tonnes of sugar are being loaded at Tuticorin Port,” said the Indian High Commission in a press statement earlier this Wednesday, adding that the Maldivian people did not need to resort to panic buying.

Meanwhile, State Trading Organization (STO), the main importer and distributor of staple food products to Maldives, has repeatedly stated that there wasn’t a shortage of food products, and that there were enough staple food products in stock to last months.