TIRANA, Aug. 16 – Agriculture Minister Edmond Panariti has said Albania has significantly increased production of agricultural exports.
Panariti said that during the first half this year agriculture has performed well and has increased its products, increasing exports. He said a recent embargo on Albanian products by Russia would not affect exports.
The minister said exports have increased especially in countries that pay premium prices, including Germany, Denmark, the United States, Switzerland and others. He said exports had almost doubled compared to last year.
“This year agriculture has seen an unprecedented boom in the export of its products, a proof of the success of policies to support the creation of the chain of values,” Panariti told a press conference.
He also said they are planning and working to diversify export partners and they are planning to sign a deal with Ukraine next month.
“In September, I will visit Ukraine to sign an agreement for a massive export of fruits, vegetables, and processed agricultural products,” Panariti said.
The minister said that last year Russia unfairly banned exported agricultural products while they were bearing falsified Albania’s trademark certificates that were falsely used by some companies in EU countries under the embargo.
That did not stop Russia, however, to namely ban agriculture exports from Albania earlier this month, including those of four other non-EU countries like Montenegro, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Ukraine.
The embargo came in response to Albania joining the EU-led embargo on Russian products due to what Brussels sees as Moscow’s involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
