In a ceremony held last night, MIFCO has laid the foundation for a brand-new ice plant to be built on Hoarafushi Island in Haa Alif Atoll. Joining CEO of MIFCO, Mr. Islmail Fauzy were local fisherman from the island.
Speaking in the ceremony, President of the Hoarafushi Council, Mohamed Waheed stressed on the importance of an additional ice plant that was much needed to cater for the growing fisherman’s demand in the region. Currently, the local fisherman buy ice from the ice plant located in Ihavandhoo Island.
Moreover, he highlighted that in addition to the rent of the land slot, the council is entitled to 20% of the clean profit from the project. The ice plant is expected to provide employment opportunities to tha residents of Hoarafushi. The council plans to utilize the income generated from the project in developing resources on the island up to a standard that can facilitate the growth of the resident population.
According to MIFCO, the ice plant will have a production capacity of 25 Tonnes. MIFCO was handed the project on January 29th of this year. It is funded by Champa Brothers with a value of MVR 4.2 million. In order to smooth the access to the ice plant, a slipway will also be developed as part of the project.
In his speech at the ceremony, Mr. Ismail Fauzy stated that with the new ice plant, capacity of ice oproduction in the region will rise to a total of 75 Tonnes. Also, the ongoing upgrades at the Felivaru Fish Factory will further enhance the freezing and processing capacity at the facility.