Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam says this administration is planning to stop exporting raw fish altogether in a bid to revive the fisheries industry.
Speaking on SSTV, Minister Shiyam said that the government is working with a Chinese company to build three more processing factories in the country including a fish factory in felivaru.
He said that once this project is completed, Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company MIFCO, would be capable of processing 100 tons of fish while another 100 tons could be processed at the factory in Faafu Nilandhoo as well as an additional 100 tons at the factory in Gaafu Dhaalu Fioree.
Noting that this would vastly increase the government's fish processing output, the Minister said that a total of 81,000 tons would be processed including that of the private sector.
The Minister further explained that it is estimated that local fishermen catch 130,000 tons of fish and if the government can process 81,000 tons and export it, then it would be able to double the income.
He added that once the processing capacity is increased then fisheries revenue can reach MVR 190 million.
Minister Shiyam announced that this administration is planning to stop exporting raw fish altogether in the future and export processed fish in cans.
Even during good fishing seasons, the fish should be exported at any price in the world market, he said, adding that cold storage are being set up to find a solution.
