MIFCO Opens Dried Fish Factory and Ice Plant at Kanduoh Giri

The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has officially opened a dried fish factory and an ice plant at the Kanduoh Giri Fish Village, marking a significant expansion of its local production capacity.

The facilities were inaugurated this week by State Minister for Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources Mohamed Muttalib during a ceremony attended by MIFCO Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Mohamed Anas, along with senior officials from the ministry and the company.

Speaking to the media after the inauguration, Anas said the new facilities represent a major step in expanding MIFCO's production for the domestic market while improving the supply of fish products to the Greater Malé region.

"One of the biggest challenges we currently face is the logistical difficulties of processing in Kooddoo and transporting products to the Malé area. Due to these issues, we frequently receive complaints about items being out of stock in our shops. The Kanduoh Giri dried fish factory will resolve these logistical hurdles, paving the way to ensure our products are consistently available in the Malé area," he said.

According to Anas, the new facility will allow products manufactured at MIFCO's Kooddoo operation to be supplied mainly to the southern atolls, while the Kanduoh Giri factory will focus on producing goods for the Malé market.

He added that the expansion will strengthen MIFCO's local production and help make fish products more readily available to consumers at affordable prices.

The dried fish factory has a processing capacity of three tonnes per day, while the newly commissioned ice plant can produce 25 tonnes of ice daily.

Production of valhomas (smoked fish) and hikimas (dried fish) began following the opening of the factory. MIFCO said the facility will soon begin manufacturing other fish products, including rihaakuru (fish paste) and mugurimas (ground dried fish).

The company said the factory is equipped with modern fish boiling and drying systems and commenced operations after receiving all required approvals to ensure production meets high hygiene and quality control standards.

Kanduoh Giri was returned to MIFCO earlier this year after being under the control of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) for state purposes.

MIFCO also plans to develop the island into a key fisheries export hub. The company said that once a cold storage facility currently under development is completed, Kanduoh Giri will support the export of fish and fish products to international markets.