Albania cultivates some 330 types of medicinal herbs, with 186 types being exported, placing it among the top 25 leading exporters worldwide and employing some 90,000 people.
Some 95% of all products are exported outside the country, with the figure increasing yearly. But in terms of income, the amount remains modest, with the sector worth just EUR 44 million in 2020.
“Farmers in Albania currently cultivate, collect and export 186 types of medicinal and aromatic plants out of the 330 types of medicinal and aromatic plants that grow in Albania in total. The sector employs over 90,000 employees, 10% of whom are also engaged in the cultivation of plants on an area of over 6,000 Ha,” The Albanian Foreign Investment Agency (AIDA) estimates.
Of the total export amount, 32% goes to the United States, with a similar amount earmarked for Germany. A further 10% goes to France and another 10% to Turkey. Most of the harvest is collected by individuals, with only 20% cultivated on farms.
In terms of the most exported herbs, sage holds the number one spot, followed by lavender, oregano and thyme. Sage is particularly sought after in the US market, while thyme is in demand in Germany.
AIDA said that medicinal and aromatic plants in Albania are grown mainly in Shkodër, Malësi e Madhe, Korçë, Elbasan, Berat, Gjirokastër and Kukës. Traditionally, wild medicinal plants in Albania are exported as raw materials. They are further processed and packaged in export markets to be sold at a higher price.
However, there are some local factories that process the herbs, producing essential oils and similar, although largely, this is an untapped market.
As with many sectors in Albania, the industry is facing issues with mass emigration. Farmers and cultivators are struggling to find people to cultivate the land, work the machines, or fix them, as they are all moving abroad. Some told Exit that once their current staff get too old to work, they will have no one to replace them as the local area has become so depopulated as people move abroad.
