Government to Distribute Canned Fish as Ramadan Gift for 2026

The Local Government Ministry has announced that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has decided the government will distribute canned fish cases as the Ramadan gift for the upcoming fasting month as well.

Ramadan is set to begin on 18 February 2026, and the government plans to provide one case of canned fish to every household, continuing the practice from the previous year. Some island councils have already begun collecting household information to prepare for the distribution.

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Last year, the government distributed over 108,000 cases of canned fish across Malé and the atolls. The Ministry of Finance reported that a total of 108,801 cases were distributed, with the state spending MVR 79.4 million on the initiative. Each case was purchased at MVR 730 after a MVR 30 discount provided by MIFCO.

The distribution process involved state-owned companies and the military in Malé, while island councils handled deliveries in the atolls.