COSTS/ Discharges from dams and blocked canals, increasing the area of flooded greenhouses

2026-01-14 07:12:00, Ekonomi CNA

COSTS/ Discharges from dams and blocked canals, increasing the area of

Since November 2025, the greenhouses of Myzeqe have been flooded three times, but recently the damage has been colossal for both the local farmers' economy and the national economy due to the lack of production. The November damage has not yet been assessed, and the greenhouses have been flattened for the third time.

Mirlind Saraçi from the village of Kosova e Vogël in Lushnje has suffered around 150 thousand euros in damages from the flooding of three hectares of greenhouses and damage to market-ready produce these days. Like him, hundreds and thousands of farmers across the country have suffered major damages, driven more by lack of management than by rainfall.

The farmer said that this time the flooded area is very large and that the reason for the increase in the water level was the opening of the gates of the Banja HPP. Opening the gates found the canals closed (as in the photo below) says Mirlindi. In his area, it has been 13 years since anyone has opened the main canals and collectors, while hundreds of millions of euros have been invested in greenhouses.

Due to the opening of the gates, the water flooded the day before and is continuing to flood new areas that were not affected by the rainfall. Experts estimate that by yesterday the flooded area has reached about 40 thousand hectares and is expanding. He said that unauthorized construction on large canals and collectors has been tolerated over the years, blocking the natural flow of water and making the area particularly vulnerable to flooding.

According to them, this degradation of the drainage system has made the territory exposed to rainfall, while the situation has been significantly worsened by the management of dams and hydroelectric power plants. Farmers claim that reservoirs have been filled and then the gates have been opened for discharge, without prior notice.

The dam hydropower projects are affecting the country's energy security, but have already increased the exposure of the rest of the country to flooding. The Shkodra area has historically been flooded by the opening of the cascade gates on the Drin River, but in the meantime, investments in cascades have also been made in other HPPs in the country, mainly in Devoll.

There is also damage to livestock. In Dimal of Berat around the Banaj and Sheq areas, there is a loss of food reserves while thousands of birds have died. All flooded areas are in emergency for food for livestock. Official data from INSTAT show that flooded areas contribute to 65 percent of vegetable production in the country and dominate almost 80 percent of fresh produce exports.

In addition to the damage that has been created in the farmers' economy, the damages of these days are expected to negatively affect the retail prices of agricultural products and also negatively affect the exports of this group. Last year, food and beverage exports were the only ones that maintained growth rates throughout the year, unlike other groups that have been on a downward trend and have fluctuated for almost two years. /Monitor