Central fish market opens today

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The newly built state-of-the-art fish trade centre at Peliyagoda will open today under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne and Fisheries Ministry officials will participate.

According to Ministry sources the new Central Fish Market Complex in a 3.17 hectares land along the main Katunayake airport expressway was built at a cost of Rs 1.7 billion. The Asian Development Bank has funded Rs. 675 million and the Government has provided the balance.

The wholesale fish complex is in the ground floor. It will have 148 stalls. The top floors have been allocated to banks, post offices, police post, restaurant and a quality control room. A 25-metric ton ice factory, three cold storages and a water purification plant have also been set up.

The centre has a modern parking facility.