USAID support increases sales for Albanian watermelons

TIRANA – For watermelon growers and exporters, 2011 was a very good year. Due to USAID’s support, Albanian watermelon exporters entered new markets in Norway, Russia, Switzerland and Hungary, exporting over 9,000 metric tons of watermelonء 60 percent increase from the previous year, with a value of over $3 million dollars. This season’s success was due in large part to years of efforts by USAID to make Albanian agriculture products more competitive and modernize Albania’s agriculture sector.
The country has clear advantages in agriculture production, particularly for growing watermelons. Albania’s temperate climate and long growing seasons are ideally suited to take advantage of the high price afforded to early-season watermelons in markets in colder climates. Despite these advantages, poor post-harvest and handling practices, packaging, and lack of knowledge around international sales practices, have until recently limited Albanian farmer’s access to EU markets.
Utilizing a value chain approach, USAID works with all major actors on the supply chainاrowers, consolidators, wholesalers, and exportersشo identify innovative solutions to support the sales. USAID facilitated business meetings between Bruka Seedling, an Albanian consolidator, and InterFruct Co. in the Czech Republic, where the consolidator and the buyer agreed on transactions of watermelons for the summer season. USAID also worked to build a strong network of more than 280 growers and consolidators so that the supply, quality, and price of Albanian watermelons were favorable and competitive. In 2010, USAID awarded two grants to introduce new packaging materials to facilitate fresh produce collection and consolidation at the farm level and improve produce post-harvest handlingشhus ensuring watermelons meet EU quality standards. Finally, working with the Albanian government, USAID streamlined the inspection and certification system thereby reducing the time and costs for consolidators-exporters.
The success of last year’s harvest and expanded sales helps to validate USAID’s market-oriented approach to increasing the competitiveness of Albania’s agriculture sector. Future efforts will further coordinate key players of Albania’s watermelon supply chain for next season’s harvest.
Since 2007, USAID has helped strengthen the supply chains of several of Albania’s most high-value crops, including watermelons, apples, mandarins, and olives.