Regional Albanian agri-businesses join in trade fair

TIRANA, May 8 – Agriculture producers from Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro came together last Sunday in an agri-business held in the northern commune of Bushat, Shkodra, in an effort to increase cooperation and the competitiveness of Albanian products.
“We are targeting to turn this trade fair into a traditional annual event and contribute to suburban areas where agri-businesses operate. We have extended the area of exports to 16 EU countries from only in the region previously,” said Enver Ferizaj, the President of the Albanian Agribusiness Council.
Lending to this sector remains problematic, added Ferizaj.
Although one of the key sectors of economy, the agriculture sector employing half of the country’s population and producing 20 percent of the GDP, is the least financially supported by government and banks.
Bank of Albania data show total credit to the agricultural sector at the end of March 2012 was at 5.5 billion lek, representing only 1.4 percent of total credit to businesses.
Addressing participants in the trade fair, Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli said she was optimistic “Made in Albania’ exports would further increase and promised more subsidies for farmers. The Bushat trade fair is part of “I consume Albanian products” imitative.
Last March, a trade fair of Albanian products bringing together producers from Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Presheva valley was held at the Murat Toptani pedestrian street in Tirana as part of Summer Day celebrations. Held under the slogan “I consume Albanian products” the trade fair showcased 100 Albanian companies which will promote 100 products for 100 days on the Albanian centenary independence in several Albanian-speaking cities in the region.
“I invite Tirana citizens and visitors from elsewhere to visit this fair, to get to know the products of this fair, get to know each other and give a new impetus to the Albanian products and consumption in Southeast Europe, Balkans and wherever Albanians live,” said Tirana Mayor Lulzim Basha.