Albania to invest $23mln in agriculture next year

TIRANA, Nov 23 – Albania seems to turn its eyes on agriculture investing more and more every year. The tiny Balkan country once was mostly based on agriculture, a move that was consequently reduced with the fall of communism in 1990.
The agriculture, food and consumer protection ministry said it would invest $23 million in agricultural development for 2009.
The main priorities would be restoration and construction of canal and irrigation infrastructure employing 37% of funds, with 24.7% destined for rural development.
The bulk of monies would be provided from the state budget, and the rest from foreign financing, the ministry said.
The government recently established the Agency for Agricultural and Rural Development to make disbursements from the state budget and from donor funding.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha also said that in the years to come Albania will five-fold the number of its olive trees.