Albanian agriculture is entering a new phase of development, with a focus on increasing product value and integration into European markets, thanks to cooperation, innovation, and institutional support.

During his visit to the Dibër region, Prime Minister Edi Rama held a meeting with local farmers, beneficiaries of agricultural support schemes, through which they have expanded cultivated areas with fruit trees and developed livestock farming.

The meeting took place in one of the well-known cherry plantations, a typical product of the area, where around 30 farmers have joined an Agricultural Joint Company (SHBB), with the municipality as a shareholder. This organisation aims to increase capacities for packaging, export, and processing, also benefiting from new IPARD program calls.

Additionally, many farmers have brought back from their migration experiences modern European technologies and practices, which are now being applied in production.

 

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Prime Minister Edi Rama: First of all, thank you very much for coming and for taking this phase seriously, where we are no longer simply encouraged, but obliged to enter, which is the phase of unity. Unity creates strength, so not like the cooperatives of the past, but like the cooperatives of the European Union.

The European Union functions through cooperatives, but unlike communist cooperatives, in EU cooperatives, everyone produces individually, and all sell together.

That is how simple it is.

By selling together, they create a much larger volume, they have a much stronger negotiating position with the buyer, but on the other hand, they harmonise all production activity since they plant with the same seeds, then share land cultivation costs, share production care costs, and then collect, package, and sell together. Agricultural Joint Companies. That is how they are defined in the law, to avoid the fear coming from past trauma that “these socialists are gathering us again into cooperatives.”

In fact, we have been encouraging this for a long time.

Where this has been done, even before our encouragement, and here we have a living example, one of the places where rural Albania flourished, where agricultural Albania flourished, at a time when three quarters of the land across Albania was not cultivated at all, in the south of the country, in Xarrë, Konispol, and so on.]

An exemplary model where farmers, like all of us Albanians, initially fearful of cooperatives, but wise enough to say: we will sell mandarins, but we will sell them together, so when wholesalers come, we have volume and power. Not to be collected piece by piece. The elders used to say: sheep that separate from the flock are eaten by the wolf.

Now unity is needed, and for this reason we have decided to support it financially, institutionally, and through partnership with the state.

So in Dibër, the SHBB is built between farmers and the municipality, and the municipality is a shareholder, but not to take your profits. It is a shareholder in a company. You even came up with the name jokingly, I told you to call it “Dibra United” like Manchester United. I saw you chose it: “Dibra Origin.” Yes, “Dibra Origin.” In English for the European market. Very good.

“Dibra Origin” becomes a brand, and then the brand becomes known, and people will ask: “Do you have Dibra Origin?” Cherries, apples, and so on. “Yes, I do.” “That’s what I want.”

Otherwise, we will not be able to face the major challenge that will come when we become members of the European Union. It is that simple.

Will we enter that huge market individually and survive? Where will we sell products? Carrying bags in the streets of Brussels? How will food safety be ensured? Will everyone go individually to laboratories and pay for analyses?

Production costs also decrease through cooperation. If one farmer must own and maintain a tractor alone, that is different from sharing it with 5, 10, 20, or 30 others, using it continuously for all and lowering costs.

Albania today has both realities. There are those who have strengthened and prospered. This is no longer about survival. Agriculture must become entrepreneurship.

We must move to the next level. It is essential, it is vital.

Even large producers are interested in joining together. Imagine how important it is for smaller ones. Volume creates power.

A farmer selling 30,000 apples is weaker than a group selling 35,000. The larger volume allows stronger negotiation: “This is the price.” Otherwise, smaller producers are forced to sell cheaper because no one buys such small quantities. This is why I came to speak directly to you.

Money is no longer the problem. Anyone who wants to work the land, invest, or build processing facilities—funds are available.

We have significantly increased support, and soon we will sign agreements with banks and the Bank of Albania to provide low-interest credit lines guaranteed by the state.

There are no more excuses, even for mayors. Municipalities must not only build roads, but also install lights, or clean waste. They must be allies of farmers.

Dibër’s wealth is not in its boulevard or hotels, but in its land, mountains, agriculture, and tourism. With the Arbër Road, access has improved, land value has increased significantly.

Now we must move with the “Mountain Package.” The first 500 who receive permits will have zero taxes for 10 years.

You must be active, and municipalities must create rural enterprises—for cherries, apples, collection, processing—enterprise, enterprise, enterprise.

People in villages must create prosperity, not just survive with a few animals. Young people must see a future there.

This is possible.

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The Prime Minister then listened to participating farmers, who shared their experiences in developing agricultural and agro-processing activities, highlighting the benefits from support schemes and the importance of cooperation.

One farmer involved in medicinal and aromatic plants shared his experience from Italy and emphasised Dibër’s exceptional potential.

Another farmer spoke about investments in fruit processing and brandy production, stressing cooperation and the need to improve quality standards.

A young farmer described his journey from modest trading to exporting agricultural products across the region, showing how cooperation turns agriculture into a profitable sector.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: To conclude, I want to assure you that we will be very supportive. Alongside existing funds, we will launch a new program called “Double Your Enterprise,” offering lower-interest loans guaranteed by the government for those who want to expand production, agro-processing, and agrotourism.

We must move fast. For farmers, the European Union is either a blessing or a curse.

Those who are prepared will benefit from greater opportunities. Those who are not will not survive, because they will not meet European market requirements, food safety, standards, analyses.

All this is achievable only through unity. Individually, it is impossible.

Thank you very much.