PEQIN, Albania – Peach farmers in the Municipality of Peqin are facing serious challenges this year as they struggle to sell their production despite investing in hundreds of hectares of orchards.
Farmers have planted around 700 hectares of peaches, but they say that most of this year’s high-quality harvest remains unsold. According to them, peaches are currently being purchased directly from farmers at prices as low as 20 lek per kilogram, making it difficult to cover production costs.
The situation has raised concerns among farmers, particularly those who returned from emigration to invest in agriculture in their hometowns. They say the growing presence of imported fruit in the market is creating additional pressure on local producers and making it harder to find buyers for Albanian-grown peaches.
Farmers argue that this year’s harvest is both abundant and of good quality, but without improved market conditions, a large part of the production risks remaining on the trees and eventually being wasted.
They are calling for greater support for domestic agriculture, better market access, and measures to protect local producers from unfair competition.
The difficulties faced by peach growers in Peqin reflect broader challenges in Albania’s agricultural sector, where many farmers continue to struggle with low prices, limited storage infrastructure, and weak links between production and markets.