The underproduction of olive oil "turns off" the industry

The price of olive oil reaches 800 ALL per liter due to the lack of production. But until now, not a single liter of oil has been collected from the factories. For the industry, the price is worthless, both for sale in supermarkets and for export. Even for this year, olive oil continues to be sold massively in drums by farmers. Processors are again looking for investment solutions in storage capacity. For experts, maintaining quality and sales value should start with the creation of clusters, which will require several years...

Kujtim Kadiu, a farmer from the village of Dushk in Lushnja, who owns 300 olive trees, has produced 40% less olive oil compared to years. Despite having increased services to the olive tree, the decline in production was affected by the instability of the weather and the late introduction of new roots into production.

On average, the yield per tree ranges from 10 to 15 kg, while last year, it was 20 to 25 kg of olives per root. Kujtim Kadiu claimed for "Monitor" that he keeps the produced oil stored in a plastic drum at home and expects to sell it himself in the domestic market at a price of 800 Lek per liter.

While Zhazivar Lila, a farmer from Beijing, who owns 800 olive roots, will sell individually for export to Italy 500 liters of olive oil produced, at a price of 8 euros per liter.

According to him, the sale of oil at this price is very profitable for the farmer, as it manages to provide them with the missing profits of 2022.

"This year, production is 40 to 50% lower than last year, but the price is very satisfactory for us farmers. With this price we will be able to cover last year's losses. Last year we sold the oil at a price of 350 to 400 ALL per liter, totally below the cost of production" , he underlined.

In total, according to the data of the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2022, 29,230 olive oils were produced. Compared to years, olive oil production increased by 13%.

For 2022, the production yield per olive root, according to INSTAT data, was 17.2 kg. Compared to 2021, the yield per root increased by 37%. Last year there was also an increase in the number of olive roots. Compared to 2021, the number of olive roots increased by about 2%.

For 2023, the lack of production has doubled the selling price of olive oil compared to years. The olive oil is being sold by the farmer at a price ranging from 600, 700 to 800 lek per liter. But the price hike that came from the lack of production is penalizing aggregators and exporters.

Drejtuesit e pikave të përpunimit dhe grumbullimit të zonave ku është përqendruar prodhimi i lartë i ullirit, si: Elbasan, Mallakastër, Vlorë dhe Lushnjë njëzëri pohojnë se deri tani nuk kanë depozituar asnjë litër vaj për ambalazhim, me qëllim shitjen e tij në tregun e brendshëm dhe eksport, pasi çmimi është i paleverdishëm.

Sipas tyre, çmimi i vajit të ullirit, duke përfshirë koston e ambalazhimit, paketimit dhe transportit arrin 1,200 deri në 1,300 lekë për litër. Për këto arsye, vaji i ullirit si çdo vit, përveçse nuk po ruhet me standarde, vijon të shitet në informalitet me bidonë nga fermeri, duke mos krijuar vlerë të shtuar për ekonominë.

Deri në mbylljen e sezonit të vjeljes dhe përpunimit të ullirit (periudha nëntor-dhjetor) parashikohet që sasia e vajit të prodhuar për zona të caktuara të bjerë 30 deri në 70% krahasuar me vjet.

Prodhuesit dhe përpunuesit thanë se rënia e prodhimit u ndikua jo vetëm nga kushtet klimatike, peridiociteti i prodhimtarisë, karakteristikë për pemën e ullirit, por edhe nga mungesa e shërbimeve, për shkak të kostos së lartë të pesticideve dhe rritjes së kostos për fuqinë punëtore.

Agron Çakalli, administratori i Federatës Bujqësore Elbasan (F.B.E) tha për “Monitor” se deri tani nuk ka grumbulluar asnjë litër vaj ulliri nga fermerët me qëllim ambalazhimin dhe tregtimin me markën “Valmi”.

Z. Çakalli pohon se çmimi i shitjes 700 lekë për litër është i paleverdishëm si për shitjen e vajit “Valmi” në tregun e brendshëm, edhe për eksport.

Federata Bujqësore e Elbasanit, që deri vjet ka funksionuar si federatë e bashkuar për marrjen e prodhimit të 125 fermerëve, këtë fillim sezoni të vjeljes së ullirit është shndërruar vetëm në një “mulli” për përpunimin e ullirit në vaj, që më tej transportohet në shtëpi nga fermerët.

60% e sasisë së vajit të prodhuar nga F.B.E eksportohej, pjesa e mbetur shitej në dyqane të vogla ushqimore, restorante dhe supermarkete.

“Nuk ka ndodhur asnjëherë që të grumbullojmë vaj ulliri me shumicë me çmim 700 lekë për litër. Çmimi është i paleverdishëm, si për tregtimin e tij në tregun e brendshëm, edhe për eksport. Duke përfshirë koston e ambalazhimit, etiketimit, etj., çmimi i vajit të ullirit arrin 1,200 deri në 1,300 lekë për litër. Me këtë çmim nuk e blen asnjë dyqan apo supermarket për shitje. Çmimi është shumë i lartë edhe për eksport. Për këtë arsye nuk kemi grumbulluar asnjë litër vaj për ambalazhim”, pohon ai.

Drejtuesi i FEB pohon se prodhimi i vajit të ullirit deri tani është 70% më pak se vjet. Situata ishte e pritshme sipas tij, për shkak të kushteve klimatike të pafavorshme, periodicitetit të prodhimit dhe mungesës së shërbimeve nga fermerët.

He says that next year the production of olive oil is expected to increase by 60%, which would automatically create a financial loss even if he were to deposit the new production to sell it after a year. The situation with the lack of production and non-collection of of oil from the industry is the same in other areas of Albania.

Luan Satka, who owns an olive collection point in Lushnja, says that this year's production is 60% less compared to last season.

Mr. Satka, who every year signs contracts with 2,500 farmers in the area for the collection of olives that, after being processed, stored and packaged, is marketed under the "BioLive" brand, predicts that this year, he will realize 10 to 20% of them, since the lack of production has increased the wholesale price of oil from the farmer.

"This year's olive production is 60% less than last year. The drop in production is entirely due to climatic conditions, as there was continuous rain during the flowering period of the tree. On the other hand, the farmer, on the contrary, has increased the services for this crop. The lack of production has led to an increase in the selling price, which starts from 600, 700 to 800 ALL per liter. The price is positive for the farmer, but burdens the industry, as the minimum selling price, including the cost of packaging, packaging, etc., is calculated to be 1,000 Lek per liter. Currently, we are not collecting olives, because it is very expensive" , he claims.

The collection point in Lushnja has deposits with a capacity of up to 100 tons of olive oil. A part of the oil from this collection point is also exported to Italy.

For the managers of the collection point, the price of oil is profitable for export, if it is over 600 ALL per liter. Farmers do not expect to sell olive oil below this price./Monitor