The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has announced a 50 percent reduction in both the registration and category fees for food service establishments. The revised rates will apply for a period of two years starting from November 2025.
This move aims to ease financial pressure on businesses operating in the food sector, including cafe's, restaurants, catering services, and street vendors. The MFDA confirmed that the fee cut applies across all 14 categories regulated by the agency.
However, the fee reduction comes at a time when the cost of basic commodities continues to climb. According to the National Bureau of Statistics:
Prices of sugar, jam, chocolate, and candy rose by 3.84 percent in November.
Compared to October, sugar, jam, chocolate, and cereals saw a 0.63 percent increase.
Tea and similar beverages increased by 1.25 percent, while coffee and substitutes rose 0.97 percent.
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— MFDA (@MFDA_mv) January 28, 2026
To monitor inflation, the Bureau publishes the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In addition, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed introduced the Essential Commodity Price Index last August to track household staples and guide policy interventions.
Maldives remains heavily dependent on imports, with food trailing only fuel in government spending. Rising public debt and limited dollar circulation have further strained businesses and contributed to price hikes.