TIRANA, February 15 /ATA/ During the current year, the National Agricultural Support Scheme is the largest in direct funding for applicant farmers.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Frida Krifca said during a meeting held today with the farmers of Fiershegan, Allkaj and Krutje units in Lushnja that, “This year we have increased the budget in support of agriculture, although the needs are greater. There are 3.2 billion Lekë in support of agriculture, there are 1 billion Lekë that support the free oil scheme for farmers, which has had a high profitability in figures and we intend to further increase it in the olive sector”.
Krifca noted that meetings with farmers serve the best to work progress on the needs of the sector, including issues in support policies for the farmer and agricultural development.
“This year, there will be a quite a significant focus on greenhouses. I am here to see also a greenhouse model that has been built with the support of IPARD. But, we will also support through the National Scheme the establishment of solar greenhouses by financing farmers with 50% of the total investment cost. We also support greenhouse producers in two directions: to alleviate production costs for farmers, because they have increased as a result of international price conjunctures, and to give incentives to the farmers to coordinate their production in order to increase bargaining power at the time of sale “, stated the minister.
Krifca stressed that the structure of Albanian agriculture is very fragmented and what can help farmers is their union in selling the produce according to the principle, “We only produce and sell together”, to be strong enough in front of the market.
The minister also called on all farmers to receive invoices when buying the products they will use so that to gain support from the state, but also to be confident about the products they use./j.p/r.e/p.s./
