Fruit, vegetable exports boom as more turn to agriculture investment

TIRANA, Feb. 9 – Albania’s fruit and vegetable production has registered a sharp increase in the past five years, meeting the majority of the country’s needs and increasing exports. Vegetable exports increased 5-fold peaking at 5.4 billion lek (€39 million) in 2016, compared to only about 1 billion lek (€7.9 million) until 2012, according to state statistical institute, INSTAT. Higher production has also reduced reliance on imports with vegetable imports dropping to a 9-year low of about 2 billion lek (€14.4 million) in 2016. Meanwhile, Albania continues remaining a net importer when it comes to fruit, with imports registering a…