Speaking at a press conference in Tirana, Salla said expanding farm exports are increasingly underpinning rural incomes and strengthening the country’s agricultural sector.

He said the government’s national support scheme remains broad-based, with a focus on boosting investment and increasing domestic production.

Salla added that the scheme is designed to align Albania’s agriculture with European Union standards, and will be further strengthened through increased financial support for farmers and agribusinesses.

The government is also expanding support programmes, particularly targeting young farmers, to encourage new investments and enhance competitiveness, he said.

“Our aim is to promote the use of advanced technologies, improve quality in line with EU standards, and implement practices that ensure environmental protection and food safety,” Salla said.

He added that these policies are intended not only to increase exports but also to expand the presence of Albanian products in international markets, creating additional opportunities for farmers and agribusinesses.

Improving access to finance and upgrading agricultural infrastructure remain key priorities to address market challenges and ensure sustainable growth in the sector, he said.

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Speaking at an event outlining support mechanisms for farmers targeting European markets, Rama highlighted growth in agriculture as a key driver behind rising exports.

A decade ago, he said, agricultural exports were limited to a small number of producers, while the country faced a severe trade deficit.

“For every euro we exported, we imported nine,” he said, adding that the deficit ratio has since narrowed to roughly one to three.

The government aims to further reduce the gap to one to two as part of efforts to strengthen domestic production and expand access of Albanian agricultural products to foreign markets.

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Citing official figures, Denaj said that Albania’s agricultural exports to the region and the European Union member states are steadily growing.

Albania exports its agricultural products to over 78 countries worldwide, mainly to the EU member states and the countries in the region, with quantity and value of exports to 16 countries increasing twice as much. Albanian agricultural products have also gained access to 10 new countries.

Government policies have played key role in increased investment projects aimed at improving quality and standards of the locally grown produce. The rising export volumes are further solidifying Albania’s role as a reliable supplier in foreign markets, particularly in Europe.

Steady progress and exports growth show that Albania will deliver on its ambitious goal for the agricultural exports to increase to over $ one billion by 2030.

Albania’s agricultural fresh produce exports include medicinal plants and herbs, watermelon, tomato, cucumber, citrus, vegetables, lettuce, medicinal plants and herbs, apple and quince, fish, olive oil, essential oils etc.

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Agriculture Minister revealed the figures, reporting that approximately 471 817 metric tons of agricultural products were exported in 2024, up from 390 525 tons in the previous year.

Denaj noted that growth in exports of Made in Albania products clearly shows improved quality and empowerment of the Albanian farmers.

According to her, this performance aligns with the government’s broader objective to reach 1 billion dollars in agricultural exports by 2030, demonstrating that agriculture remains a critical pillar of the economy.

The growth in agricultural exports reflects both the increasing competitiveness of Albanian products in international markets and the success of government initiatives to support farmers.

Government policies have played key role in increased investment projects aimed at improving quality and standards of the locally grown produce. The rising export volumes are further solidifying Albania’s role as a reliable supplier in foreign markets, particularly in Europe.

Albania’s agricultural fresh produce exports include medicinal plants and herbs, watermelon, tomato, cucumber, citrus, vegetables, lettuce, medicinal plants and herbs, apple and quince, fish, olive oil, essential oils etc.

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“Customs Administration data show that agricultural exports rose around 20% during the 11-month period to around 435 000 metric tonnes, while encouraging data are also reported on components of sustainable production in 2024. In the meantime, investment projects were implemented on construction of embankments, water drainage and pumping stations, as well as on construction of new irrigation systems,” PM Rama said at the end-of-year press conference.

He also said that encouraging steps have been made towards complete digitization of the agricultural land fund, adding that nine new local and regional agricultural markets were built in 2024.

The government aims to boost agricultural exports to $1 billion by 2030 through policies supporting farmers and encouraging modern practices. Key export sectors include fresh produce, olive oil, and processed foods, with growing demand in European and regional markets.

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Albania’s economy, providing jobs for many and contributing significantly to export revenues

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According to Denaj, steady progress and exports growth show that Albania will deliver on its ambitious goal for the agricultural exports to increase to over one billion dollars by 2030.

The government support policies for farmers, agricultural and rural development have contributed to increased domestic product, improved quality and standards of the made in Albania fresh agricultural produce.

Agriculture Minister underlined that Albanian products are gaining more access to the international markets thanks to their improved quality and safety standards.

Albania’s agricultural fresh produce exports include medicinal plants and herbs, watermelon, tomato, cucumber, citrus, vegetables, lettuce, medicinal plants and herbs, apple and quince, fish, olive oil, essential oils etc.

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Citing official data, Agriculture Minister said that the country’s agricultural exports increased by 19% to 358 380 metric tons of agricultural products from 301 956 tons exported during the same period of 2023.

Albania’s agricultural fresh produce exports include medicinal plants and herbs, watermelon, tomato, cucumber, citrus, vegetables, lettuce, medicinal plants and herbs, apple and quince, fish, olive oil, essential oils etc.

Steady progress and exports growth show that Albania will deliver on its ambitious goal for the agricultural exports to increase to over $ one billion by 2030.

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A total of 39.5000 metric tonnes of tomatoes were exported to the countries in the region and to Europe in the first half of the year, according to INSTAT data.

The Albanian Agricultural and Rural Development Agency has supported the fruits and vegetables growing sector through the IPARD II programme to increase production and standards in order to meet domestic demand and increase exports.

More than 280 contracts worth 44.1 million euros have been signed to boost production of export-bounded fruits and vegetables.

Tomatoes are the biggest agriculture exported products out of all Albanian exports.

The tomatoes are produced in the regions of Berat, Fier, Lushnje, Divjake, etc. and Albanian exports go to other countries in the region, like: Kosovo, North  Macedonia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries in Central and Western Europe such as: Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Poland, France, Netherlands, Germany, etc.

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According to her, the latest Foreign Trade Report by the National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) indicated that agricultural exports are showing stable progress, maintaining an upward trend by around 20% year-on-year in July.

“The INSTAT data clearly show success of agriculture development policies devised to grow local production, quality and standards of Made in Albania products that successfully compete in Europe’s most sophisticated markets and in a wider region for their quality,” Agriculture Minister said.

According to Krifca, Albania has become an important regional factor for agricultural exports.

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The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Milva Ekonomi stated on Tuesday that, the exports of agricultural products are estimated at 22.164 million ALL. According to Ekonomi, in the first six months of 2020, exports of agricultural products reached ALL 18,950 million.

The investments in the agricultural sector, mainly in Greenhouse farming led to a significant increase in exports of agricultural products.

Albania has about 1700 hectares of greenhouses and plastic tunnels for the production of agricultural products.

Agricultural exports increased from about $ 100 million at the end of 2014 to $ 400 million at the end of 2020, while exports are projected to reach over $ 1 billion in the next four years. //a.i/