Specifically, at the end of 2020, there were over 65 thousand enterprises operating in the production of goods, in agriculture, industry, construction from approximately 17 thousand that were in 2013.

The increase in the number of companies operating in the production of goods shows that the Albanian economy is becoming more productive, breaking away from a model based largely on trade and consumption of imported goods.

The external balance of the economy has shown signs of improvement in the last decade and the narrowing of the negative contribution of net exports to the country’s GDP proves such a fact.

In the period January-April 2021, exports increased by 35% on an annual basis, reaching ALL 109 billion. Even in relation to the quarter of 2019, exports marked an increase of 10%.

The construction materials and metals recorded were the best performers in exports marking the largest increase by 12.6%, minerals, fuels and electricity recorded an increase of 9.8% and textiles and footwear 6.6%.

Exports of agricultural products also recorded an increase.

The Business Development and Investment Strategy (BDIS) for the period 2021-2027 published for consultation by the Ministry of Finance and Economy foresees that exports will increase from 31.5% of GDP to 36% of GDP. /j.p/sm/