The opening and operation of a dried fish factory in Kanduoiygiri, operated by the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO), is an important step towards expanding MIFCO's local production and products specifically for the national market, the company's CEO Mohamed Anas has said.
The CEO made the remarks in an interview with the media after the ceremony held in Kanduoiygiri this evening to open the factory. The CEO said that bringing this factory into operation and starting such a service close to Male' will greatly ease the difficulties faced in releasing MIFCO's products to shops in the Male' region.
"One of the biggest challenges we currently face is the logistical difficulties caused by having to process in Kooddoo and bring it to the Male' region. Due to these difficulties, it is a very common complaint that items are sometimes unavailable in our shops. Because of the Kanduoiygiri dried fish factory, these logistical difficulties will be resolved, paving the way for us to always supply our products in the Male' region," the CEO said.
The CEO said that with this progress, items produced in Kooddoo can be dedicated to the southern atolls, and items can be produced from Kanduoiygiri targeting the market in the Male' region. He also said that the Kanduoiygiri dried fish factory will increase MIFCO's local production and will be a strength in providing items to the public at affordable prices.
The Kanduoiygiri dried fish factory is a factory that can process 3 tonnes per day. While the preparation of smoked fish and dried fish has started in this factory from today, MIFCO said that the preparation of products such as rihaakuru (fish paste) and crushed fish will also begin in this factory very soon.
This is an important step taken to achieve the goal of modernising MIFCO's operations. In addition to the dried fish factory opened today, once the cold storage being established in Kanduoiygiri is completed, Kanduoiygiri will also become a main centre for exporting fish and fish products abroad.
The dried fish factory was officially opened at a ceremony held this evening by the State Minister of the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources, Mohamed Muthalib. The ceremony was attended by MIFCO's Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Mohamed Anas, as well as senior officials from the Fisheries Ministry and MIFCO.
