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Fish exports up by 0.3% in 2019

Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has revealed that export of fish has increased in the first 7 months of 2019, compared to the same period of last year.

Maldives exported 36,800 metric tonnes of fish in the first 7 months of 2018, according to the statistics published by MMA. However, with a 0.3 percent increase, fish exports have reached over 37,000 metric tonnes by July.

Of the 37,000 metric tonnes, the most exported variety was skipjack tuna with 18-thousand-500 metric tonnes. The second most exported variety was yellowfin tuna. The MMA report states that 10,500 metric tons of yellowfin tuna was exported by July this year.

The report suggest that although the export of skipjack tuna and yellowfin tuna have increased, the combined total of other varieties of fish excluding skipjack and yellowfin tuna has fallen by 33.8 percent. The export of other varieties was recorded at 1,253 tonnes in 2018. However, the amount fell to 830 metric tonnes this year.

Among other fish products exported from Maldives, packaged fish increased to 5,700 metric tonnes from 4,400 metric tonnes exported in the same period last year. Processed fish products exported also increased from 808 metric tonnes to 1,100 metric tonnes this year.