Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated there has been no official communication of a ban on Maldivian fish exports in Sri Lanka.
In response to rumors that Sri Lanka has banned Maldivian fish exports in the country, the foreign ministry said the Government of Sri Lanka has not shared any such information with the Maldivian government. The ministry said efforts are underway to seek clarification from the Sri Lankan government regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid had earlier affirmed that there are no restrictions on Maldivian fish export to Sri Lanka. After a meeting with the Foreign Minister and the Fisheries Minister of Sri Lanka last month, Minister Shahid assured there are no restrictions for the Maldives in exporting fish to Sri Lanka, although the government of Sri Lanka had placed some restrictions of fish imports to the country in an effort to revive the fishing sector.
Sri Lanka is one of the major export markets for the Maldives, with fish contributing a large share of exports to Sri Lanka from the Maldives. Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture revealed over 5,000 tons of fish were exported to Sri Lanka last year.