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Applications for the subsidy scheme/ Farmers and livestock breeders in Korça: Financial assistance, necessary

2026-05-26 13:21:00, Aktualitet CNA

Farmers and livestock breeders in the Korça region have started applying for national subsidy schemes for 2026, with many of them saying that financial assistance is necessary to cope with high farm costs and economic difficulties.

However, some farmers complain about the procedures and additional costs for collecting documentation. Residents of remote mountainous areas say that the road and transportation costs make the application process difficult.

"We are far away in the mountainous areas and they help us. Not much, but they do help us. I am from the Marjan area. It is difficult to collect the documentation, it is a long way, the car costs 7 thousand lek. Even here they want these procedures. It is an added cost ," said a livestock farmer.

Meanwhile, other farmers who have invested in livestock see the scheme as an important support for providing a food base for livestock during the winter.

"We breed French Alpine goats. I have just returned from America after 15 years and am breeding this type of animal. The subsidy is the first time it is happening. These new 1,500 lek per head are subsidizing. To some extent it is good, we provide half of the food base for the winter period," said another.

He indicates that all livestock is registered and vaccinated, while the challenge remains meeting the minimum criterion of 50 heads.

"Today they told us that the quantity should be up to 50 heads. We get 49. For one head. Now we have the situation, we will register it and come to apply," he adds.

Meanwhile, for farmers with small land areas, benefiting from the schemes remains difficult due to bureaucratic criteria and procedures.

"I don't benefit from it, because I have five dunyams of land. You should have 30. You have to go and do the paperwork, the lease contract. It's not convenient for me. As long as I come around, I'd rather have nothing," said the farmer.

Other livestock farmers who have recently opened farms also say that subsidies are a great help in continuing their activity.

"Thank you very much for what you are doing, these subsidies. Today I would apply for livestock. I have 49 goats, we don't benefit from one. Now we have them, but they are not registered, we will register them as well. It helps us a lot for everything ," says another livestock farmer.

According to the Director of the Directorate of Agriculture in Korça, Vullnet Gjolla, the 2026 schemes bring changes aimed at including more farmers and aligning with European Union schemes.

"The number of cattle benefiting from this scheme is changing and decreasing, from 10 heads to 5 heads, and the benefit amount is increasing from 10 thousand new lek to 12 thousand new lek per cattle. For small cattle, the number is decreasing from 100 to 50 heads per farmer and the benefit amount is increasing from 1,200 to 1,500 lek ," said Gjolla.

There are also changes for beekeeping, as well as for the support scheme for agricultural areas.

"For beehives, the limit of 50 hives is reduced to 25 hives per farmer and the benefit amount is increased from 1,000 lek to 2,000 lek per hive. As for the area scheme, we will no longer have oil per hectare, but lek per area ," he added.

Gjolla says the goal is to encourage cooperation among farmers and increase access to financing.

"We are on the path to aligning with the European Union schemes. We are making maximum efforts to align these schemes with the EU schemes," said Gjolla.

Authorities are calling on farmers to apply at service points in administrative units, while hopes remain for the opening of the IPARD scheme, which is considered more comprehensive for the agriculture and livestock sector. /CNA