Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr. Mohamed Shainee has inaugurated the first ever project to reduce the amount of agricultural products imported to Maldives.
Under the project initiated in Gan Island of Laamu Atoll, 5 varieties of fruits and vegetables are expected to be grown to cater to its demand in the Maldivian market. Under this project, papaya, watermelon, pumpkin, cucumber and banana would be farmed in Gan Island to control the amount of agricultural imports to Maldives.
In an exclusive interview with PSM News after launching the project, Minister Dr. Shainee stated that it is an initiative aimed to expand the scope for local farmers in the Maldives.
The Minister added that the project is expected to decrease the import of fruits and vegetables by 25 percent. The Ministry revealed that it would take a period of 4 months for the first batch of fruits and vegetables to be harvested in Gan Island.