Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Andis Salla has presented a budget of around ALL 18 billion for 2027, a 10% increase on the initial 2026 allocation. The plan prioritises farmer support, agricultural competitiveness, food safety and preparations for European Union integration.

Rural development remains the main funding priority, with ALL 8.4 billion allocated for 2027, compared with ALL 7.7 billion in the initial 2026 budget. This represents around 47% of the ministry’s total funding. An additional ALL 100 million will strengthen the National Support Scheme, which covers direct payments to farmers, support for young farmers, certification and farm infrastructure.

Food safety is another key priority, with around ALL 3 billion planned, up 3% from 2026. The budget includes ALL 371 million for investment. The ministry also plans to strengthen food-chain inspections, laboratory capacity and veterinary surveillance. The EU4FoodSafety project, financed by the European Union and the German government, will support modernisation of official controls and closer alignment with European standards.

The budget also covers fisheries, institutional capacity, innovation and digitalisation, with the broader aim of strengthening the sector and improving access for Albanian products to European markets.

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