Fruit and Vegetables’ Exports Increased by 30% in 2016

TIRANA, January 30

Albania’s exported fruits and vegetables saw a significant increase during 2016 therefore, earnings from this sector reached Euro 58 million or Lek 7.9 billion. Yet the data on foreign trade confirm that the country’s imports of fruits and vegetables exceed exports.
According to the data provided by the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), earnings from the imports of fruits and vegetables during 2016 were Euro 60 million or Lek 8.3 billion. Therefore, as official figures confirm, Albania is a net importer of the above-mentioned goods and has a negative trade balance of Euro 2 million.
Experts from the sector say that exports’ increase is related to the increased percentage of planted land and policies implemented during the last ten years.
However, some paradoxes are noticed in the agriculture sector in Albania. Compared to the region, agriculture in the country accounts two times more regarding employment and GDP, yet supply to the domestic market is too low.

News Source: Monitor