Minister Krifca said that the scheme is designed to access markets for export and curb informal sales.
“Albania is a blessed country in the production of olives and we are optimistic about the high production of olives that our country has recorded, especially this season, also driven by subsidy schemes,” said Krifca, pointing out that to promote this crop the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is introducing two important financing schemes.

“We will continue to support olive producers for mechanized work with “tax-free diesel oil” and for the first time this year we support olive growing in the schemes of the IPARD program, which includes measures for processing and rebuilding olive processing factories according to the best standards,” the minister said.

Krifca emphasized that the teams of the ministry are on the ground to guide farmers towards cooperation and production certification as the main step in the development of olive oil export.”

The minister cited the example of Roskovec farmers, who will be the first to implement the union.
For the establishment of olive oil collection, processing and storage points, farmers, in partnership with the local government, will use IPARD funds as financing after applications. The pilot project will also be extended to three other municipalities. The scheme has been operating in the village of Shirgjan in Elbasan, which started its implementation 23 years ago, with the help of foreign donations.

Agron Çakalli, the administrator of the Agricultural Federation in Elbasan (F.B.E) says that in 2000, with the financial assistance of the Italian Cooperation, eight farmers of the village of Shirgjan joined 20 olive roots each that they inherited after the fall of communism. Çakalli says that the farmers joined the olive groves because the lands remained untilled. /j.p/sm/