“The 2023 budget signifies a great effort on the right path towards competitiveness, ongoing development of production systems and increase of exports in consistency with our objective of 1 billion worth of agri-food exports in 2030,” said the minister.

“I am joining Prime Minister Edi Rama’s dialogue tour with farmers, agro-processors throughout the country to discuss a year that has been like no other for agricultural sector and to discuss all the measures the government has taken to help this community cope with the difficult situation”, said Krifca.
She emphasized that the government has been and will continue to be close to farmers and the rural community with support, to cope with the crisis situation triggered by the war in Ukraine.

“This year, through support schemes, we have enabled higher support than ever before since 2009. While in the 2023 budget, we have foreseen a twofold increase in funding for farmers. We have set ourselves a goal: 1 billion USD in agricultural exports by 2030. We are halfway there and I express my conviction that by the end of this year we will reach half of this objective, a numerical objective that contributes to the country’s economy, the welfare of the rural economy”, said the minister.

Krifca echoed the impression of the German Minister of Agriculture Cem Ozdemur, who visited our country two days ago, about the quality of Albanian agricultural products which, as the minister said, is credited to the farmers.
Focusing on concrete figures, the minister said that 7.1 million euros was the fund available to farmers this year and all this funding will be disbursed by the end of 2022.

“While the second call for the ‘Grain Measure’ has been opened, we have increased twofold the funds available for the oil scheme, we have doubled the number of beneficiary farmers in Berat, compared to last year. About 1,500 Berati farmers have been supported with subsidies in livestock farming, medicinal plants, etc.,” said Krifca.

The minister informed that, as part of the support given in Hoxhaj, the area planted with greenhouses has increased by 80 hectares, while in the whole country the area with greenhouses has increased to 2 thousand ha.
The minister said that, today, rural Albania speaks with facts when it comes to diversification of farms.
She brought to attention the example of Fatmir, who started out with a plant nursery, expanded his investment with a winery and today inaugurates the new agro-tourism point.
/r.e/sm/