Demand for dairy products within Albania is showing shifts, with foreign tourists increasingly favoring imported milk sources, including those from Serbia, Italy, and Greece, over locally produced alternatives. While overall data indicates that the total volume of milk collected annually rose to over one million tons—an increase of 60,000 tons compared to 2024—this growth is largely attributed to expanded imports rather than domestic output. Experts point to structural challenges within the sector.
According to educator Ndoc Faslia, two primary factors are driving this trend: the migration of residents from rural areas and the operational difficulties faced by several dairy complexes across Albania. The domestic production figures reveal a significant downturn. In 2021, the amount of milk collected domestically exceeded one million tons, but this figure dropped to below 876 tons in 2024, representing a decline of approximately 130,000 tons over five years.
Donjaldo Hoxha, a sector specialist, described this trend as concerning, suggesting that the primary contributors to the decline are inadequate and unsustainable subsidies. The reliance on foreign sources to meet the growing demand, particularly from the tourism sector, highlights a critical dependency for the national dairy industry in Albania.
Topics: #milk #albania #tourists
