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Floods in agricultural areas/ Vegetable exports halved

2026-02-19 07:17:00, Aktualitet CNA

Albanian vegetable exports have started 2026 with a sharp decline, reflecting the impact of floods that affected key agricultural areas and specialized greenhouses for foreign markets at the beginning of the year.

According to official INSTAT data for January, the country exported 5,367 tons of vegetables, down from 9,936 tons in January 2025, with a contraction of about 46% on an annual basis.

The decline is even more significant considering that January last year marked the peak of the decade for this month. The year 2025 was characterized by the expansion of greenhouse production and high demand from European markets, driving exports to record levels. The year saw high interest from Europe for seasonal crops such as cabbage and carrots, which encouraged new plantings in the field. As this trend continued this season, the January floods damaged hundreds of hectares of field crops.

However, even after this shock, the level of exports remains higher than in most pre-pandemic years, when January exports typically fluctuated between 1.8 and 3.8 thousand tons. The growth of recent years had created a stronger production base, but the start of 2026 shows that the sector remains highly exposed to climate risks.

However, the floods of the beginning of the year appear to have directly affected production and export logistics. The main production areas in the western lowlands faced crop damage, while difficulties in transport and supply have limited shipments to European markets.

After several years of steady growth and investments in greenhouses, the floods showed that protective infrastructure and climate risk management are becoming critical factors for export stability.

Operators expect a gradual recovery in exports going forward, but the start of the year has increased uncertainties for vegetable exporters. The increase in agricultural exports in both quantity and value and on the other hand the decline in production is showing that the sector is heading towards consolidation.

Albanian agriculture has entered a consolidation phase with a decline in total, but with a stronger orientation towards exports. Small and medium-sized farms in rural areas of the country are going bankrupt due to the shrinking and aging population, while large livestock farms and greenhouses in areas with intensive agriculture such as Fier, Lushnja, etc. are growing and expanding with the export destination. /Monitor