Exports of medicinal plants continued their upward trend in 2012 when they rose to 2.6 billion lek (Euro 18.5 million) on higher volume of exports
TIRANA, Dec. 4 – Exports of agricultural products rose by 7.3 percent in 2012, affected by a slowdown in canned fish and medicinal plants, the top Albanian agricultural exports, according to an annual report published by the Agriculture Ministry. Data show total agricultural and livestock exports in 2012 rose to around 13 billion lek (Euro 91 million), accounting for 6 percent of the industry-based Albanian exports.
Exports of canned fish slightly dropped to 2.8 billion lek (Euro 19.5 million) in 2012, on lower prices. Albania exported some 3,047 tonnes of canned fish and anchovies in 2012, up from 2,741 tonnes in 2011.
Previous data from a detailed 2010 report show Italy was the overwhelming destination for 92 percent of total canned fish exports. Only 5 enterprises, employing 912 people operate in the fish conservation industry.
Meanwhile, exports of medicinal plants continued their upward trend in 2012 when they rose to 2.6 billion lek (Euro 18.5 million) on higher volume of exports. Albania exported 9,776 tonnes of medicinal plants in 2012, up from 8,780 in 2011.
Previous data from an annual 2010 report by the Agriculture Ministry show most medicinal plants are exported to Germany, which ranks first with 2,031 tonnes worth 590 million lek, followed by the United States of America with 231 million lek and Turkey with around 160 million lek.
In communist times, Albania earned about 50 million US dollars a year exporting medicinal herbs, and the sector employed roughly 100,000 people. Experts say that if the plants were cultivated instead of being picked wild as they have been so far, the harvest could be increased as much as six fold.
Exports of unprocessed leather are the third most important agricultural exports in Albania estimated at around 1.3 billion lek, followed by vegetable exports at around 1 billion lek.
Data show Albania imported around 87 billion lek in agricultural and livestock products in 2012, up 3 percent compared to 2011, in a deficit of 74 billion lek. The export/imports coverage rate is at only 15 percent, reflecting the undeveloped agriculture sector in Albania.
Imports of agro-industrial products account for around 62 percent of total agricultural imports, followed by agricultural and livestock exports.
Albania’s agriculture
Albania’s agriculture sector has the highest gross value added (GVA) and employment share among all nine EU candidate and potential candidate countries, according to a recent report by the Eurostat, the EU statistical office, on enlargement countries.
The Albanian agriculture sector accounts for around 20 percent of the gross value added by main sectors, and employs 44 percent of the country’s population, according to Eurostat data for 2011.
Latest data by the country’s state Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) show the agriculture employs 522,300 people, which is 47 percent of the total labour force.
Despite accounting for almost 20 percent of the GDP and employing half of the country’s population, the agriculture sector is one of the least financed sectors by commercial banks. Total lending to the agriculture sector at the end of September 2013 was at 5.8 billion lek, up 10 percent compared to a year ago but accounting for only 1.5 percent of total lending to businesses.
Agriculture is also the least financed among government priority sectors receiving only 0.5 percent of the GDP.
Despite the progress made during the last years, overall agricultural productivity in Albania is lower than in the agricultural sectors of its neighbours and the rest of Europe and lower than the average of the Albania’s economy as shown by the sector’s higher share in terms of employment than in terms of value added.
Experts say the small size of farms, lack of appropriate management of land and agricultural infrastructure and technology make the Albanian agricultural sector more problematic compared to other countries in the region.
Agricultural cooperatives are now legally recognized as joint enterprises created on a voluntary basis, giving the Albanian farmers more opportunities to maximize their production and benefit more in funding from government and financial institutions.
