This is what Irfan Tarelli, director of Agricultural Policies at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, told ATA, stressing that “there is no reason for panic in the face of the difficult situation triggered by the war in Ukraine.”

Tarelli said that domestic wheat production meets about 50% of the needs. While the quantity imported so far meets the needs of domestic market until June 2022.

“The surface area planted with wheat in our country is almost the same as the previous year and the expectation is to have the same crop yield,” Tarelli told ATA.

Given that 47% of our market is supplied with wheat and maize by Russia, this has not affected Albania at all, while flour importers are exploring the possibility to enter into contracts with alternative markets.

Tarelli noted that government has introduced incentives for farmers to expand the area planted with wheat and corn, which has been a tradition for Albanian agriculture.
/r.e/sm/