The state-owned fisheries company, MIFCO, has announced that they are working on acquiring the fish factory operated by Ensis Fisheries in Hulhumalé. The “Ensis Fish Factory,” a $25 million (385 million Rufiyaa) investment established for canning fish, was inaugurated on December 9, 2019. This was the largest fish factory operating in the Greater Malé area to date.
The “Ensis Fish Factory” has the capacity to produce 25 tons of canned fish daily. It also has a 1000-ton ice plant and the capability to store 1200 tons of chilled fish. Additionally, the factory has a fish meal plant installed to produce fertilizer from fish waste. However, due to various reasons, the factory is currently closed.
MIFCO has stated that they are working on reusing the factory. MIFCO said that after investing in the latest machinery and equipment, they have completed studies to acquire the processing capacity of the Ensis cannery, which has been idle for one and a half years. They also mentioned that they are currently in discussions with Ensis to purchase the facility. The main reason for the closure of the Ensis fish factory, which operated with about two hundred employees, was the previous government’s decision to increase the price of skipjack tuna to 25 Rufiyaa per kilogram. The company stated that this led to significant losses for them.
Ensis Fisheries Company came into existence in 2002 through the export of yellowfin tuna to foreign markets. Subsequently, the company established its first fish factory in 2006. Later, Ensis introduced its own fish brand called “Enzi” and exported fish to both domestic and international markets.
