Maldives to develop small ice plants for fishers

The Maldives Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture has announced plans to develop small-scale ice plants in fishing communities across the country. State Minister Mohamed Mueezali stated that these facilities are specifically intended to support fishers engaged in pole-and-line fishing.

While the Maldives currently has a production capacity of 1,700 tonnes of ice, fishers often face significant difficulties in securing ice during favorable fishing seasons. The ministry is currently designing 5-tonne ice plants capable of producing tube ice, which can also serve local cafes.

Work is underway to secure funding for the project, with plans to begin construction on five ice plants under a CSR project in the near future. These plants will be accompanied by small storage facilities to assist local fishing operations.