Fishing and Agro-Industry Drive Surge in Agriculture Exports

TIRANA, October 29
Fishing and agro-industry represent respectively 46% and 38% of the hike in agricultural exports for January-September 2018. Agricultural exports that include farming, fishing, and agroindustry rose by 9.9 percent over a nine-month period thus, reaching a value of Lek 23.6 billion. The official data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development that fish and seafood exports increased by 34.6 percent. Those goods account for 16 percent of total agricultural exports. The fish and seafood processing industry is growing every year due to increased capacities and new investments in plants, which have an impact on employment. Yet, the sector is not exploiting its full potential due to the limited quotas of 1,600 tax-free products. The limit is met soon and afterward this industry can export only half-processed otherwise they have to pay up to 25 percent of the export value.
Moreover, agro-industry, which accounts for the largest part of the sector exports marked a positive progress. According to the Ministry, the export of potatoes, tomatoes, and other vegetable increased significantly compared to other products. Moreover, even the export of strawberries, blackberries, kiwifruit, persimmons, and gooseberry increased by 35percent.

News Source: bujqesia.gov.al

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