We are feeding on imports, imports of vegetables and animals increased by over 30% in 2024

2025-01-22 07:15:00, Ekonomi CNA

We are feeding on imports, imports of vegetables and animals increased by over

The lack of domestic production and the development of tourism are driving the rapid growth of imports, especially in some food groups where quantities increased by over 30 percent in 2024.

The re-awakening of import channels is making it even more difficult for domestic production to compete and is reducing the value retained in the country from tourism inflows.

According to official data from INSTAT, in 2024, live animal imports increased by 35.5 percent in quantity. Around 32 thousand tons of live animals were imported from the region and beyond, up from 22 thousand tons in 2023. The increase in animal imports is coming for two main reasons.

The first is as a result of the decline in the number of livestock, due to the aging population and the decrease in the rural population. The number of livestock in our country has been halved in the last decade.

Secondly, meat consumption has increased due to the development of tourism. Albanian cuisine is based on meat and dairy. On the one hand, the number of visitors and agro-tourism units is increasing, and on the other hand, the number of livestock in the country is decreasing, causing the gap to be filled by imports.

In addition to animals, vegetable imports also increased by 29 percent last year. During 2024, 61 thousand tons of vegetables were imported, up from 47 thousand tons in 2023.

Although greenhouse production is increasing year after year, it is destined for export, as the bankruptcy of small plots has turned small farmers into consumers even in villages. The tourism sector has also increased demand for vegetables, driving the growth of imports.

Overall, food imports in quantity increased by 15 percent last year. The rapid increase in foreign visitors to our country is a golden opportunity to further boost the economy and well-being in the country.

The experiences of other Mediterranean countries show us that tourists do not only benefit hotels and restaurants, but also many other sectors related to production, especially agriculture and the entire supply chain that tourism needs. This connection makes tourism inclusive and extends the benefits to more people. Or is Albania moving in this direction?

The data shows a reverse trend. While the number of tourists is increasing at record rates, the manufacturing sector, agriculture, industry and exports in general are declining rapidly. Agriculture, the main sector of the Albanian economy that contributes more than 18% of GDP, recorded a decline of 2.5% in the third quarter of 2024. This was the strongest decline since the fourth quarter of 2022 when production was damaged by frost.

The lack of connection between tourism and other sectors is causing a large part of the profits that come from tourism to go abroad to import goods that we need for tourists. During the year, items related to hotel supplies increased in quantity by up to 50%, negatively affecting the trade deficit./ Monitor Magazine