Parliament Speaker and President of the main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed, has said the duty imposed on Maldivian fish products exported to the UK will be eliminated within the next two months.
Nasheed, who is currently abroad, made the announcement via a tweet on Wednesday night.
In his tweet, Nasheed said his close acquaintances in the UK government had assured that the duty on fish imported from the Maldives to the UK would be cut within the next two months at the latest.
"This is great news. This is due to the great efforts of some British leaders who wish the best for the Maldives," Nasheed said.
Currently, a tariff of 22 percent is charged on fish imported to Europe from the Maldives. The government says the duty charged on exports poses a significant challenge in assuring fair prices for local fishers.
Nasheed's announcement comes while some top government officials have also said Europe would give relief on duty charged on Maldivian fish products. Speaking at the Fishermen's Day celebrations held in Faresmathoda this month, Fisheries Minister Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan said that the Maldives would soon get duty relief on fish exported to the UK.
