TIRANA, Oct. 13 /ATA/ – The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Andis Salla, visited the family-owned company Çela Herbal in Bradashesh, near the central Albania city of Elbasan on Tuesday, highlighting state-backed loan guarantees as a tool to support business expansion and strengthen links with farmers.
The company, run by local resident Aleksandër Çela, has been collecting and trading medicinal and aromatic plants for more than 30 years. It works with around 400 farmers across Albania, collects more than 100 plant varieties and exports about 400 metric tonnes of products annually, mainly to European markets, including Germany, Poland, Italy, France and Greece.
Discussions focused on financing for expansion, investment in machinery and technology, and a scheme reimbursing farmers for 10% of their sales invoices.
“The Sovereign Guarantee scheme is well suited to a business like yours, particularly for investment in machinery, and could help you double the scale of your operations. It covers loans of up to 2 million euros, backed by a state guarantee, with an interest rate of 2% to 3%,” Salla said, outlining financing opportunities available through the scheme.
He added that public institutions were ready to assist businesses with the application process and the required documentation.
The meeting also addressed the 10% reimbursement available to farmers supplying the company with medicinal plants. Salla praised the use of self-billing invoices, which enables farmers to qualify for state support.
Çela expressed interest in expanding the business, noting that the reimbursement scheme encouraged partner farmers to increase production and maintain supplies of raw materials.
Salla reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting businesses investing in the processing and export of Albanian products, while creating new economic opportunities for farmers.
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