Albania is on the threshold of a revolution in olive oil production. According to Maivan Peci, consultant at the Albanian Olive Oil Producers Association and process engineer at Musai Olive Oil, the country has produced an average of 20.670 tons of olive oil per year over the past three years. By 2020/21, annual production fluctuated between 10.000 and 13.000 tonnes.
“From 2009 to 2013, the Albanian government invested a lot of money in the olive oil sector,” said Peci.
The government has classified olive cultivation as a strategic crop because the trees thrive in the country's Mediterranean climate and olive cultivation does not require as much capital and labor as other crops.
The number of olive trees in the country has increased by 30 percent, and many new trees - especially the local Kalinjot and Frantoio varieties from Italy - will be fully mature in the 2021/22 season, Pecha said. He expects production to continue to increase over time.
“The increase in production in the last three years is due to the increase in the number of olive trees,” confirms the agronomist Bruno Musaj. “In Albania the number of olive trees has increased from eight million to around 12 million.
“The government has helped many Albanian farmers with subsidies to increase their production and adopt better methods for the cultivation, production and storage of olives,” added Musaj added. He assumes that production will continue to increase in the coming years.
Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)