The State Trading Organization (STO) has announced new measures to expand the availability of essential food items across the Maldives, with particular emphasis on improving access for island communities.
The initiative follows the recent inclusion of 23 additional products in STO’s essential food list. These comprise 10 fruits, 10 vegetables, and three other key items. While the new products are currently available at the STO People’s Choice Supermarket in Malé, the company is establishing new supply chains to enable nationwide distribution.
As part of this effort, STO is preparing to open a new retail outlet in Malé dedicated to supplying fruits and vegetables to the atolls. The outlet, located near Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) on Boduthakurufaanu Magu, where STO’s Makita showroom currently stands, will act as a supply hub. STO has stated that it will offer direct delivery services from this outlet to cargo boats and the harbour area, aiming to simplify logistics for island retailers and residents.
In addition to this new facility, STO plans to utilise its existing infrastructure in the atolls, which includes four distribution centres and 12 retail outlets across different islands.
The company has also announced plans to open a permanent store in Hulhumalé that will stock these essential items. Currently, residents in Hulhumalé only have access to temporary STO fruit and vegetable stalls during Ramadan. The new store, expected to open before next Ramadan, is intended to provide consistent access to these goods for the growing population of the urban island.
