Government to begin in March agriculture and fisheries subsidies

Government to begin in March agriculture and fisheries subsidies


MALE, January 24 (HNS) – Government is to begin providing the subsidies to fishermen and farmers in March.

State Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Dr Hussein Rasheed Hassan told journalists yesterday that the policy on distributing the Rf100 million fisheries subsides has been changed.

“We used to provide the subsidies for the size of the boat. But this time we will provide it according to the horsepower of the engine,” he said.

Dr Hussein stressed that the ministry is taking measures to prevent some people from taking undue advantage of the subsidies.

“We are providing the subsidies in order to lower the cost of the journey. We will check whether the boat goes out for fishing after taking the fuel subsidy,” he said.

Under the plan to provide Rf50 million as subsidies to farmers, the government will subsidise imported agriculture equipments.

Dr Hussein further noted that the government is taking measures to prevent foreign fishing vessels from netting in the area close to the Maldives, which he said is responsible for the declining fish catch.

“In this regard, we will join the India Tuna Commission in order to prevent that [foreign fishing vessels from netting in the area close to the Maldives]. This is a measure linked to the management of the tuna stock in the Indian Ocean,” he said.

State Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Dr Aminath Shafiya said a training centre would be constructed on 17 hectares of land in Laamu atoll Gan within this year.

The centre aimed at providing training and the chance for farming would replace the Mendhoo Agriculture Centre earlier established in Laamu atoll Mendhoo, she added. Read More ...

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