Albanian Foreign trade
As the underlying graph shows, both exports and imports have grown very rapidly during recent years. In 2008, exports grew with 16 – 17 % as compared with 2007.
Source: INSTAT
The main trading partner is the EU. In 2008 the EU received 96.6 % of Albanian exports and supplied 84 % of imports. Italy and Greece are our most important trading partners. Trade with South East European countries is becoming increasingly important following the introduction of bilateral free trade agreements.
Albanian exports are highly concentrated. Underlying graph, which gives the repartition of the exports in 2008, shows that 44 % of the exports are in the textile and footwear category. This category is followed by the construction materials and metals, the minerals and the products in the food, beverages and tobacco category.
Source: INSTAT
Textiles and Footwear
The textiles and footwear sector is the most important sector of the Albanian economy. Exports from this category account for approximately 44 % of the total exports. This sector includes not only the textiles and the garments but also the shoe and the leather products. In fact Albania is one of the world’s leading shoe and leather producers; Albanian leather is of high quality and can be sourced for a wide range of end products from local suppliers.
Download a PDF with details about the garments sector in Albania
Download a PDF with details about the shoe and leather sector in Albania
Construction materials and metals
This industry is becoming increasingly important since exports in this sector grew by approximately 46 % from 15,386 million ALL in 2007 to 22,492 million ALL in 2008 while the exports growth in the sector of textiles and footwear, the dominating sector, was merely 3.7 %.
The growth of this sector is mainly due to the exports growth of the metals and particularly cast iron and steel. These exports were mainly directed towards Greece, Italy and Kosova.
Minerals, fuels, electricity
This sector accounts for 18 % of Albanian exports. Exports in this sector grew with approximately 36 % in 2008, mainly due to the fuels exports growth. It is crude oil which is exported in Italian refining plants.
Food, Beverages, tobacco
This sector accounts for approximately 6 % of the Albanian exports. Exports in this sector include exports of medicinal plants, meat and fishery products and oily seeds and grew slightly in 2008.
