Prime Minister Edi Rama urged farmers and entrepreneurs in the south-central region of Berat to to make the best possible use of natural and agricultural resources to promote quality agro-tourism development throughout the region, as a top government priority under its Rural Rebirth Program. The prime minister visited the village of Peshtan, Berat, where he dined with local farmers and entrepreneurs.
“We are seeking to usher in a new phase of agro-tourism and rural economic development and what we are aiming for is not simply something big and great success with huge impact on the Albanian economy, but it is something already underway with a few yet existing examples of agro-tourism initiatives across various areas all over the country. This means that the nature’s beauties, small farms and tradition to develop agro-tourism,” the Premier said.
Referring to winery Nurellari, an excellent example not only for the wine quality and authenticity, but also for the fresh and traditional food and delicacies, the Premier emphasized that the government has prepared a broad financial support package for everyone planning to invest in agro-tourism.
“Here we are visiting one of the most fantastic examples that have been set across Albania and that can best develop as an agro-tourism enterprise. We are ready to make available a financial support package. The government and the Agriculture and Rural Development Agency (AARD) have developed a program which includes a funding scheme for agro-tourism. Some 11 million euros is made available for agro-tourism development under the European Union funds for Albanian agriculture. On the other hand, the government will cut the Value Added Tax rate to 6 percent, just like it did for the four and five-star hotels and the move has attracted great interest as an increasing number of projects are being submitted. The government will also cut the profit tax to a 5 percent rate only,” the Premier stated.
The winery owners said that their business has kept expanding and thanks to the AARD support they have not only successfully increased their mainly export-bound production, but also have attracted a constantly growing number of foreign visitors. Winery owners also said they plan to build accommodation structures for tourists.
“First I built the winery. I had clear plans on what I was doing. I filed an application for funding under the AARD program and I then purchased state-of-the-art equipment. I host a considerable number of visitors here in this area, which is increasingly becoming attractive thanks to its location, just 7 km from Berat, and the renowned canyons just 18 kilometres from my winery. The area is rich in grape varieties and these winery products have been awarded second prize in the Balkan Wine Festival. Most recently we started exporting our products with the first load exported to Ancona, Italy,” Nurellari said.
The government has launched the project 100 agribusiness villages that will have their infrastructure upgraded in a bid to make them agribusiness oriented by promoting local agriculture products under the Rural Rebirth Program.
The integrated rural development project aims at combining cultural heritage, traditions, the country’s natural wonders, agriculture and private initiative in order to promote agro-tourism and turn it into an engine and major resource for economic development.
“The 100 villages program will include funding from the Austrian and Swiss development and cooperation agencies and for days now we are working and holding talks with ambassadors of other countries to use their cooperation funds according to a map of these villages and each state will patronize a certain area for agro-tourism development. The challenge is to apply the successful Urban Rebirth Program into the new Rural Rebirth Program and that’s why we have selected 100 villages as centres of gravity to set models showing how household economy can develop. No agricultural activities can be developed at the canyons, but agro-tourism initiatives can be put into practice along the canyons, establishing private businesses that can employ whole family, but also create new jobs for the local residents and help them improve their welfare. This is the scheme we are trying to develop,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said, highlighting some of the program’s objectives.
