TIRANA, September 7 – New lending to agriculture increased by 23% in the first seven months of 2026, reaching ALL 1.38 billion, according to data from the Bank of Albania.
At the end of July, the agricultural loan portfolio reached ALL 6.83 billion, up 9.3% from a year earlier. Agricultural lending accounted for around 0.8% of new business lending.
Meanwhile, low-cost financing schemes and the sovereign guarantee aim to improve farmers’ and small and medium-sized enterprises’ access to credit. The state guarantee can cover up to 70% of the principal for loans of up to ALL 25 million.
Under the scheme, when the guarantee covers 15% to 35% of the credit risk, the interest rate cannot exceed 3%. When it covers 35% to 55%, the maximum rate is 2.5%. For guarantees covering 55% to 75% of credit risk, the interest rate ceiling is 2%.
The Bank of Albania also offers a sovereign guarantee scheme with a ALL 3 billion fund as part of its low-cost financing programme. The scheme aims to further facilitate access to finance for farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises.
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