Agro National Corporation (AgroNat) has brought 142 tonnes of produce to market from contracted farmers.
AgroNat stated it has signed agreements with 715 farmers under the contract farming programme and is now working with 90 farmers, adding that 47% of them are women. The state-owned company stated that 142 tonnes of agricultural produce have been brought to market under the programme and USD285,000 in farming equipment have been provided as startup packages introduced under the contract farming programme to solve the challenges farmers have in obtaining the necessary agricultural equipment and resources. The packages include fertilisers, water hoses, chemicals, and other farming equipment.
Furthermore, AgroNat is establishing distribution centres with cold storage facilities in nine regions in the Maldives with assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The distribution centres are being established to transport local produce to the facilities and sell products needed for resorts and businesses wholesale. The company has so far established six distribution centres, which consist of an office, and cold storage area to store fruits and vegetables.
AgroNat was established by the government in 2020 to market agricultural produce from local farms and provide a better income for farmers by providing technical and financial assistance and helping them market their produce. The company has established contracts with farmers to produce 17 different types of fruits and vegetables.