Speaking at the launch of the “Double Your Business” initiative, Rama said the scheme would be supported by sovereign guarantees aimed at significantly reducing lending risk for commercial banks.

“The sovereign guarantee will range from 30% to 70%, depending on the assessed level of risk,” Rama said.

He also urged commercial banks to show greater willingness to lend to the agriculture sector, which he described as carrying higher risk but also strong growth potential.

Rama said eligible projects should focus on lower-risk investments linked to agribusiness, agrotourism, innovation and new technologies.

“I strongly believe that a grant fund to support the preparation of business plans and applications for SMEs will also add value by facilitating relations between businesses and banks,” he added.

Rama made the remarks during the signing of a new partnership agreement between the government, the banking sector and Albanian businesses under the national SME financing programme “Double Your Business”.

The agreement envisages 250 million euros in low-interest lending support and 30 million euros in sovereign guarantees to facilitate financing for small and medium-sized enterprises.

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Speaking during a meeting with farmers in the northeastern region of Dibra as part of his “Projects of Albania” tour, the government head said the main challenge facing the sector is no longer access to finance but the quality of projects and the level of engagement by farmers and local authorities.

“It is no longer about funding. Those who want to invest in agriculture-whether in production, collection points, processing facilities or agritourism-must focus on strong projects and proper applications, because the funds are available,” he said.

Rama emphasized the need to increase value-added production, encouraging farmers to process agricultural goods into products such as jams and preserves. He added that top-grade produce should be exported, while lower-grade output should be processed to enhance market value.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the role of municipalities, urging them to take a more active part in supporting rural development and farmers’ initiatives.

He pointed to Dibra’s strong potential in agriculture and tourism, noting that improved infrastructure, including the Arbër Road, is boosting access and economic prospects in the region.

Rama added that the first beneficiaries of the government’s “Mountain Package” programme will benefit from significant fiscal incentives, including tax exemptions for agritourism ventures.

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Speaking at a meeting with farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs in the central Albanian city of Elbasan, Rama said his government is reactivating the agro-credit program to help farmers and agricultural enterprises access financing without relying on commercial banks, which often view the sector as high-risk.

“The new credit line for small and medium-sized enterprises, with a focus on agriculture, initially offers up to 250 million euros and could eventually reach 1 billion euros, and in the future up to 2 billion euros. It is ready and waiting for you,” Rama told farmers.

He emphasized the role of local governments in supporting agricultural projects, including the development of collection and processing infrastructure, and encouraged farmers to collaborate with each other and with municipal authorities.

The government head also mentioned opportunities for investment projects in partnership with universities, with favorable financing conditions to raise production standards.

Under the 2026 budget, the government plans to allocate an additional 16.3 billion leks to agriculture, livestock, fisheries, agro-processing, agritourism, rural pensions, and farmer training, in cooperation with the Agricultural University of Tirana.

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