New national programme on nut trees

TIRANA, Jan. 12 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha announced on Tuesday the launch of nut tree cultivation national programme, which he described as the second most important after the olive tree programme. Speaking at a government meeting on Wednesday, Berisha said government would do its utmost to support the planting of at least 30 million nut trees, including hazelnut, almond, chestnut, pomegranates in the next four years. Referring to serious European studies describing Albania’s nut cultivation potential as quite big, Berisha said Albania would economically benefit from the project following the successful performance of the olive programme.
Albanian farmers cultivating nuts will benefit state subsidies.
“Government will pay for each sapling. I call on them to apply and present their project to the agriculture directorate,” said Berisha.
According to him, the number of olive trees in Albania has already increased by 5 million under the new project which is expected to take their number to 20 million.
Under the 2011 budget on the Agriculture Ministry, farmers will also continue receiving subsidies, whose levels have increased by 30 percent reaching 1.26 billion lek
The national olive tree programme will continue being at the centre of the subsidies. Subsidy support will also be provided to fruit tree cultivation, solar greenhouses, olive oil processing, modern irrigation, bio products and milk.