The contribution of organic sector in the Albanian agriculture.

Abstract

What is nowadays known as organic farming in Albania is at an initial phase. It is mainly located in the so called “marginal areas” by small farms. Organic market in Albania can be considered as at a very starting stage with small niches marketing point but with a growing interest of consumers for fresh productions with limited processing activities. The conditions for a better partaking in the country’s markets is, however, desirable since commercial and trade between Albania and other countries, mainly EU’s, is readily growing. The aim of the present research work is to present a descriptive analysis of the structural and productive indicators of the organic and, at large, the whole agriculture sector in Albania. The first part of the paper analyses the economical and social framework of today’s Albanian farming, which is still far from the European Union standards. Although organic farming in Albania is not as regulated as it is in the EU, we tried to outline to what extent organic farming can reach a productive and economical perspectives for local development. In the second part of the paper we analysed the situation of the potential of organic farms by means of a SWOT analysis. The strength and weakness points for the farms, together with the possibilities and threats of the organic market pointed out by environmental analysis, are selected with the intention of addressing the main issues, and attempting to delineate some peculiar policies and market intervention for overcoming the actual nodal points.