How are dairy cows "disappearing"? Albania risks becoming dependent on imports

Albania risks becoming dependent on imports of milk and by-products and also losing its rural and traditional culinary heritage due to the rapid decline in the number of dairy cows.

Official INSTAT data on the number of dairy cows in Albania during 2014–2024 show a dramatic decline in all regions of the country by over 35%.

At the same time, Albania is experiencing one of the highest levels of emigration in Europe, especially in rural and mountainous areas. These two phenomena are not separate; on the contrary, they are directly linked.

Fier is and remains the region with the largest number of dairy cows, although the decline is significant, from over 50 thousand heads in 2014 to around 34,800 in 2024. Compared to 2023, the number of cows in this region increased by 0.5% due to greater investments in farms.

In Elbasan, the decline is dramatic, more than 59% in a decade. Once among the regions with high livestock activity, it has now lost almost two-thirds of its dairy herd. In 2024, the number of dairy cows fell by over 6.5% compared to 2023. This is directly related to the massive departure of residents from the mountainous areas of Librazhd, Gramsh and Belsh towards emigration or urban centers.

Berat has also experienced a significant decline, with the number of cows halved. The loss of population in the villages of Skrapar, Poliçan and Kuçova has led to the contraction of family farming. By 2024 alone, the annual decline in dairy cows was 18 percent, the highest in the country. Livestock in this region has become a symbolic activity, with no development potential. From 2024 to 2024, the decline was 40%, while the annual change by 2024 was 7.4%.

Another region with a significant decline is Gjirokastra. Many villages in Dropull, Libohova have been emptied. The decline in the number of cows is a direct indicator of depopulation: there are no more people to take care of livestock. However, some agro-tourism initiatives have preserved traces of activity in the areas around Tepelena. In 2024, dairy cows recorded an annual decline of 6%, while for a decade 37%.

Although with great livestock potential, Korça has lost more than 11 thousand heads of cows in a decade. The emigration of mountainous areas such as Kolonja and Maliqi, but also the flight of young people towards emigration, have affected the sector. The number of heads fell by 15.7% in 2024 alone, while during the decade the decline was 20%.

In Dibër and Kukës, mountainous regions are experiencing continued decline. In Dibër, where agriculture and livestock were vital, the number of cows has fallen by about a third. In Kukës, the impact is similar.

Shkodra has also seen a sharp decline in the number of dairy cows. Villages such as Puka, Fushë-Arrëzi and Malësia e Madhe have lost the active population that could keep livestock farming alive. However, near the plain areas of sub-Shkodra, some large farms still survive. The number of heads in 2024 alone was reduced by 13 percent, while during the decade by 37 percent.

Lezha is among the regions that have maintained some relative stability compared to others. This is related to the development of intensive agriculture in the lowland areas, but also to the proximity to the large markets of Tirana. However, even here there is a decline and difficulties for small farmers. In 2024 the number of heads remained the same, while during the decade the decline was 20%.

The Durrës region has experienced a significant decline, not only due to rural emigration, but also due to the pressure of urbanization. Large-scale construction and the transformation of agricultural land for construction purposes have displaced livestock activity to the outskirts, causing the number of cows to decrease by more than 40% over the decade, while in 2024 a slight increase was observed.

Even in Tirana, which includes the rural areas of Kamza, Vaqarr Petrela and Baldushku, the number of cows has halved. In 2024 the decline was 3.5%, while in 10 years it was 43%.

Vlora is the only region where the decline is minimal, only 2.8% in ten years.

The decline in the number of dairy cows is a direct reflection of the rural population's emigration, emigration, the lack of long-term agricultural policies, and Albania's increasing orientation towards unsustainable urbanization./ Monitor