“Elian Eksport”, a fruits and vegetable collection and storage facility founded and managed by Nedrete Arapi, a female farmer from the village of Lushnja district, has become one of Albania’s leading exporter of fresh local produce to Europe.
Nendret, who has masterminded the whole investment, production operations, customers, works with over 1300 farmers across Albania, while she has employed more than 40 local women in her storage facility.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Director General of the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (ARDA) Frida Krifca, visited the collection facility with an export capacity of around nine lorry loads to European markets each day.
Nedret aims to fundamentally transform the warehouse she currently rents into a modern and high standard facility. To this end, she has applied for a financial support under the European Union’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance for Rural Development (IPARD II).
“Elian Eksport is a fruit and vegetable collection facility that includes 1300 farmers. It is a superpower in this kind of industry. This company is one of the largest fruits and vegetable exporter. It has applied under the IPARD calls for application, as the company is seeking to expand and fundamentally transform the collection warehouse into a modern facility with refrigerated storage capacity in order to meet highest standards of the countries where the company exports its products. It worth highlighting that the company exports mainly to Western and Eastern Europe,” ARDA Director Frida Krifca said.
The entrepreneur is satisfied with her business success over the past four years. She especially describes 2018 an excellent year for her business. “Since 2014 – and I am saying this not to please anyone – but agriculture sector was given a high priority with the government subsidies having doubled. The government has provided a great help. We used to face problems with the customs service, as the delays in transporting fruits and vegetables can cause serious problems. 2018 was an excellent year. Last year, our exports were estimated at 16 000 tons, or some 200 lorry loads more than in 2017. We expect the same trend to continue this year.”
The entrepreneur not only exports, but she also offers her advice and assistance to local farmers regarding what and the land area they should cultivate in order to ensure optimum sales and not waste products. “Farmers are advised about what and how to plant. Whoever turns a deaf ear will then complain for failing to gain income. While those who consult us are usually pleased with their earnings,” she said.
For the Prime Minister collectively organizing sales directly to consumers or to a processor is a guarantee for farmers to generate income. “Coming together is the key. When you come together it is a win-win situation. When someone cultivates his or her own fragmented plot or land area they are then forced to throw their produce, complaining that they can’t sell their products.”
Finding skilled work-force remains a problem for the entrepreneur. “The workforce is a big issue. There are no skilled workers. Whoever wants he can find a job. I will provide an example. The son of one of my employees emigrated to Germany and returned home empty-handed. I told him to come and work with me instead, offering him a monthly salary of 600 000 lek. This is the monthly salary of my employees,” she said.
Regarding the progress of application process of farmers to benefit under the IPARD Program, the head of the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency Frida Krifca explained that “the process is already underway with the initial applications already being reviewed. We will look at the list of the applicants and the time when they have filed their applications and the official response will be provided. We have already to send replies, and a number of applicants who fail to meet the main criteria have been disqualified. The contracts will be signed by June. We have launched a funding of EUR 50.3 million, while demands exceed the available amount and this is of course a successful process. I think we have already calculated around 50% of the potentially disqualified applicants for failing to comply with the procedures and we will see then the fund absorbing capacity.”
