Work on a 4,000-tonne cold storage facility being developed in Kooddoo, Gaafu Alif Atoll, has reached 57% completion, according to the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources.
The project will add 4,000 metric tonnes of cold storage capacity to the existing 2,000-tonne facility, significantly expanding the Maldives’ capacity to store fish and seafood.
The government awarded the $6.6 million project to Lucky Global Projects Pvt Ltd, with a completion deadline of 365 days.
Doubling the Maldives’ existing cold storage capacity of 8,500 tonnes was one of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s presidential pledges. However, the government has since set a broader target of increasing the country’s total capacity to 25,000 tonnes, nearly three times the current level, the ministry said.
Funding for the additional 4,000-tonne storage capacity in Kooddoo has been secured through the Saudi Fund for Development.
The ministry said expanding cold storage infrastructure would strengthen the Maldives’ position in the international fish market by giving local fishermen greater influence over the prices of their catch. It is also expected to help increase fishermen’s earnings.
