The most expensive milk in the region, yet Albanian farmers earn the least! Reason: Subsidies are lower than in neighboring countries

Albanian livestock farmers sell the most expensive milk in the region, yet they earn less than their counterparts abroad.

Unlike other countries, our Ministry of Agriculture supports farmers only based on the number of animals they own, while abroad, the same farmer receives subsidies per head, per liter of milk, and for livestock feed. Currently, 1 liter of milk on Albanian farms sells for 54–58 ALL, while production costs are 47–50 ALL. In comparison, in North Macedonia a liter costs 47–50 cents, in Kosovo 45–48 cents, in Italy 28–30 cents, and in Hungary between 11–38 cents.

Faced with these figures, dairy factories prefer to source imported milk. In 2025 alone, 8 million liters of milk worth 5 million euros were purchased from the countries mentioned above.

“The production cost of 1 liter of milk in Albania is 60–70% higher than in neighboring countries. Under these conditions, it is completely uncompetitive and unequal compared to imported milk, and as such, it cannot find a market,” says economist Ndoc Fasllai.

In discussions with farmers, this is the series of meetings that Agriculture Minister Andis Salla has been holding with local producers. Recently, he met with livestock farmers, whose demand was clear: the support formula must be changed. How much the farmers’ voices have been heard will become clear when the new national scheme for 2026 is presented. Experts say Albanian livestock farming can be saved by adopting policies similar to those in neighboring countries.

“Support programs need to move to long-term schemes as applied in EU countries, tied to contracts offering 3–5 years of backing,” Fasllai adds.

Meanwhile, a significant amount of milk remains unsold in many farms, as contaminated livestock feed has tainted raw milk with aflatoxin, a mold that poses a risk to both human and animal health.

“KORÇA BOOM”