The company “Erzeni”, one of the renowned brands of milk and milk products in the Albanian and foreign market, has increased its production capacities up to 30 tons per day, and the quality of its products as well thanks to the two grants it has benefited from the government schemes in support of production. Following the VAT cut on machineries, and the 40-million ALL government grant in 2015, this company has invested in the establishment of refrigeration facilities and in the highest standards technology in order to improve the products quality. Following another 40-million ALL grant in 2016, it has invested in the CIPS system and the electronic remote control of the plant. Meanwhile, having its activity expanded, the company has involved throughout the production chain 4500 farmers from various regions of the country.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by Blendi Klosi and Juliana Memaj, Mayor of Ura Vajgurore where the business is located, toured the facilities of the plant and could take a closer look at the tangible results of the financial support provided by the government.
“We have expanded almost all over the territory, in the Albanian market, and now we are trying to export. Maybe we will start this week in Kosovo. We have had offers from Dubai. We thank the Albanian government because through its grants we could make some investments that have improved the quality of our products, as well as technology and employment. We have currently 300 employees, and are connected to approximately 4.500 farmers ranging from Vlora, Berat, and part of Elbasan. We had also the milk VAT reimbursed, and we’re very happy for this”, the entrepreneur said, and explained how from a small family business, it has now turned into a leading brand in the national market.
In a conversation the Prime Minister had in the plant’s facilities with collectors of the region of Berat, he urged them to unite as fragmentation into small units, increases production and product costs.
“We don’t want to encourage the continuation of a fragmentation situation. We want to encourage union, which means, lowering costs. You know very well that a small unit has major costs. If we join, we lower the costs and benefit from subsidies. By supporting the collector, a gravity point is created which in turn creates a network. This network should start being more than it is today, in the sense that those who have a 1-hectare greenhouse can join others, and by expanding, their production is increased, and the market as well. The others made all those subventions for many years, but what were their results? Nothing, because they lacked organization. But if we concentrate in the gravity points, everybody else will join and will understand what profits they can have.”
The region of Berat is one of the country’s intensive agricultural areas. Mayor Memaj emphasized that investments in agriculture have increased in recent years, with the priority being given to the cleaning of drainage canals.
“They produce nearly 54,000 tons of fruits and vegetables, of which nearly 42,000 are exported abroad. With the two excavators our municipality was granted, we have done an intensive work for the opening of drainage canals, and almost half of them have been completed. We have worked also in terms of road infrastructure. We are working with the market street in the village Drenovica. We have applied to the ADF to benefit from the “One Billion for Reconstruction” program.
