The Las Qoray Fish Factory

The Las Qoray Fish Processing Plant was established through a joint venture between the Democratic Republic of Somalia (JDS) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The total cost of the project—including the construction of the facility and installation of machinery, but excluding the fishing vessels and equipment—was estimated at 42 million Somali shillings. Construction of the plant was completed in 1968, and experimental production commenced in early 1970. During this initial testing phase, the factory processed approximately 2 tons of fish per day, despite having a full production capacity of 20 tons per day. Operational: The plant operated on an experimental basis for three seasons. During this period, the facility was severely affected by two cyclones that occurred in 1971 and 1972.These natural disasters caused extensive damage to the factory’s infrastructure, fishing transport vessels, freshwater wells, and other operational facilities, which significantly disrupted production activities. Annual Production Data (1971–1975)Year    Quantity Produced (Cans)    Value (Somali Shillings)1971–1972    377,521    1,002,0001972–1973    435,818    1,528,0001973–1974    614,654    3,197,0001974–1975    1,533,501    8,371,000The data above clearly illustrate a steady increase in production over the years, demonstrating the factory’s gradual growth in processing capacity and operational efficiency. Distribution and the majority of the factory’s output was exported to international markets, while only a small portion was sold and consumed domestically within Somalia. At that time, the plant operated in collaboration with the Somali Fishing Company, utilizing a total of 70 fishing boats for its supply operations. Employment Although the available reports did not specify the exact number of employees working within the factory itself, records indicate that 350 personnel were employed on the fishing vessels. The number of factory-based workers was not documented precisely, but is believed to have been substantial. The source of Information report is based on a 1976 publication by the Government of Somalia and supplementary reports from the foreign governments that participated in the establishment and development of the Las Qoray Fish Processing Plant.