Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has stated that setting the limit to fish processing has not affected the number of fish purchases.
MIFCO stated that it has purchased more fish this year than in the same period last year, despite limiting fish processing to seven tonnes per boat. The statistics show that the company purchased 3,570 metric tonnes of fish so far in April for a total of USD5 million, which is an increase compared to the 2,791 metric tonnes of fish purchased in April last year. The statistics also show that MIFCO has purchased a total of 21,947 metric tonnes of fish so far this year for USD23 million.
MIFCO began controlling the fish purchases due to the overload of fish carrying and processing capacity, which was caused by the high number of fish being caught in the southern region. MIFCO has brought in boats with cold storage capacity to alleviate the overload on the carrying capacity of the southern fleet, which includes a boat capable of purchasing and transporting 100 tonnes of fish per day and a reefer carrier with a storage capacity of 2,400 tonnes.
MIFCO stated it continues to purchase fish up to its maximum capacity and that its southern fleet purchased a daily average of 100 tonnes of fish. adding that the highest number of fish are processed at the Kooddoo Fisheries Complex while the second-highest number of fish are processed at the Addu Fisheries Complex.