Accompanied by the director of ARDA, Frida Krifca, Prime Minister Edi Rama saw first-hand the investment at this collection point.

Rama added that “all this work done with investments in collection points is ground-breaking because it has created a new platform for agriculture development and has introduced a great convenience for farmers who produce and deliver their production to collection points.

Meanwhile, the director of ARDA said that farmers are already learning to cooperate, which has resulted in new market dynamic.

“This company has invested in glass greenhouses, which are very ecological. It is already building the refrigerated collection point, which consists of two cold rooms to process the local production of the farmers, both greenhouses and orchards. The entire investment has an estimated value of ALL 166 million, of which the grant is ALL 83 million extended to cover the construction of over 3 thousand m2 collection point plus the processing and cold storage units, ” she said.

Krifca went on saying that this is a model farm and its future goal is to develop into a center open for agri-tourism and export of agricultural produce.

This company cooperates with about 250 farmers who deliver their products for processing. It currently numbers 25 employees, while it is expected to grow to 50 in the first year of its operation as a collection point, which is set to process 300 tons of products in the first year.

Krifca pointed out that ARDA has supported about 53 fruit and vegetable collection points so far. “We have signed contracts with 29 entities under IPARD, so there are about 39 million euros earmarked for investments in collection points and expansion of cold storage and processing capacities for agricultural products,” she said.
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