Before the 90’s, Albania was ranked as a country of high grain output, as all the consumed quantity was produced by local farms. Grain production in the country fell sharply in the early 90?s as result of agricultural lands abandonment due to migration to cities or emigration to other countries. Another reason of interest fall in cereal farming was the market opening and competition from foreign products with prices well below the cost of production and better quality.
According to official data, a quantity of 696,800 tones of cereals was produced in 2012 within the country. Comparing values of domestic production in the last fourteen years
1998?2012, it results an increase of 15.6 %. Cereal cultivation and production began to grow as a result of price increase of wheat and milling products in international markets . Likewise, milling grain manufacturers have raised interest to purchase raw materials within the country with more competitive price.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection
Processing and comments: ODA
Corn production in the country during 1998-2012 (in 000/tons)
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection
Processing and comments: ODA
Crop production is dominated by two main products, wheat and maize. Maize has registered dynamic growth in the last fourteen years, of 90.3%, reaching a total production of 302,000 tones in 2012. Production growth was due to the expansion of cattle number in the country for which maize is the main feed.
Although wheat production expanded during the recent years it is still below the level of 1998. Official records confirm that wheat production is 24% in 2012 compared to 1998.
Grain production in the country, by type (in 000/ton)
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection
Processing and comments: ODA
Considering the difference of the amount of grain produced in the country with the amount of grain exported, plus the amount of imports of cereals and milling products as base consumption in the country, it results that in our market it?s consumed a total of 1:14 million tones of cereals. Consumption is result of amount produced less amount exported plus the amount of milling products imported from abroad.
Imports of cereals in 2012 reached the level of 344,000 tones. Cereal consumption is dominated by domestic production, sharing 67% of it.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection
Processing and comments: ODA
Corn and milling imports in the country during 2005-2012 (in 000/tons)
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection
Processing and comments: ODA