TIRANA, Aug 18 /ATA/ – Albania’s agricultural production expanded 24.1% in the first half of 2019, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Blendi Çuçi said on Sunday.
Agriculture and its subsectors, including agroindustry, is the sector receiving largest financial assistance from the state budget and international donors.
The positive developments in the country’s agriculture this year are translated into more income for the farm households and growing domestic agricultural production, exports, with a significant share of contribution to the state budget.
Agriculture’s contribution to the country’s DGP has exceeded over 2%, while number of employees in this sector has increased significantly.
Albania’s agricultural exports have doubled last year, hitting highest level on record.
In the Ministry of Agriculture’s budget expenditures, the rural development component supporting agricultural, livestock, agro-processing and marketing accounts for a considerable percentage. Meanwhile 300 farmers applied for the EUR 50-million under the first phase of the EU’s IPARD II program, while the second IPARD call is expected to open.
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