MIFCO opens dry fish factory and ice plant in Kanduohgiri with a daily processing capacity of three tonnes

The government fish company, Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO), has opened a dry fish factory and ice plant in K. Kanduohgiri Fish Village.

The dry fish factory and ice plant were officially inaugurated by State Minister for Fisheries Mohamed Muthalib at a ceremony held in Kanduohgiri on Monday evening. The ceremony was attended by MIFCO CEO Mohamed Anas, officials from the Fisheries Ministry, and MIFCO staff.

Speaking to the media after the ceremony, Anas said the development marks an important step for MIFCO in expanding its product range for the national market. He said launching such a service close to Male' will significantly ease the logistical challenges in delivering MIFCO products to shops in the city.

Anas noted that one of MIFCO’s biggest difficulties has been transporting processed fish from Kooddoo in GA. Atoll to Male'. He said these such constraints sometimes lead to complaints from customers about shortages at MIFCO fish shops.

“The Kanduohgiri dry fish factory will solve these logistical difficulties and allow us to consistently supply our products in the Male' area,” Anas said.

With this expansion, products processed in Kooddoo will be focused on the southern market, while products from Kanduohgiri will be targeted at the Male' area, he said. The new factory will also increase MIFCO’s production and enable the company to provide goods to the public at more affordable prices.

MIFCO said the Kanduohgiri dry fish factory can process three tonnes of fish per day, while the ice plant can produce 25 tonnes of ice daily.

The dry fish factory opened on Monday will soon begin processing rihaakuru (tuna paste) and hikimas (ground dry fish). The facility was launched with the required permits to ensure safe operations and strict quality-control measures, similar to other MIFCO products.

MIFCO said the cold storage at Kanduohgiri will also become a major export hub for fish and fish products.