The Maldives is poised to dramatically expand its fish‑processing infrastructure, with new canning and cold‑storage facilities set to raise the nation’s processing capacity to around 80 percent of its catch.
State Minister for Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources Mohamed Muththalib announced that the ambitious plan will enable the country to process roughly 80 percent of the 120,000 tonnes of fish caught annually, up from the current 10 to 15 percent that receives value‑addition.
“Right now, most of our catch is exported as frozen fish, which does not bring the full economic benefit to our fishermen or the industry. By tripling the capacity at Felivaru and adding new plants in Nilandhoo and Fiyoaree, we will be able to add value to a much larger share of our catch, increase export revenues and improve the livelihoods of our fishing community,” he said.
In Felivaru a new 100‑tonne per day canning and cold‑storage plant is under construction alongside the existing 50‑tonne per day facility. Cold‑storage works have been completed, and the canning line is now in place. In Nilandhoo, a 50‑tonne fish‑processing facility is being built—dredging work has finished, and the plant is expected to be operational by 2028, while in Fiyoaree, a 100‑tonne processing factory is under development with dredging currently underway.
Once all facilities are online, the combined daily capacity will rise to 300 tonnes—more than triple the present capacity—positioning the Maldives to process the bulk of its catch domestically.
According to Muththalib, the Maldives currently earns roughly USD 98 million per year from fish exports. Government projections indicate that the expanded processing capacity could lift export earnings substantially, providing higher returns for fishermen and stimulating related sectors such as packaging, logistics and tourism.
The government aims to have the new plants fully operational by 2028.