Albania's strawberry production volume has been growing in recent years. Small producers, who buy their seeds in countries like Poland, are beginning to see results after years of hard work. "We are a family business with 7 hectares devoted to the cultivation of strawberries, and we have now started seeing increases of 5 tonnes per year," explains Hamataj. This Albanian company focuses on the varieties Sabrina and Fortuna, since they are the ones that yield the best results.
This increase in the production volume has also had an impact on the commercial activities, as the country is starting to look beyond its borders and to export its produce. "In our case, more than 70% of our production is shipped to Kosovo, Serbia and Macedonia." However, there are other players on the field, since the overall increase in the production has caused many other companies to start exporting.
At the moment, Albanian strawberries face two competitors on the international scene: Greece and Spain, which are big producers, although "we don't worry, since we are growing at a good pace."
For more information:
Xhontin-Adeljan Hamataj
Strawberries Hamata Group of Producers
Tel: +355 675139852 / +355 675631602