Food safety is one of the biggest concerns of Albanian consumers. Uncertainty about the food they buy is evident, both for fruits and vegetables and for animal products. Many consumers link this uncertainty to the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. In particular, they notice differences in products, such as green potatoes or fruit without flavor, and express doubts about the safety of the food they consume. As one consumer notes, “They can tell, the potatoes are sometimes green.”
This insecurity stems in part from problems in the agriculture and food processing sector. Fragmentation of agricultural land, lack of education among farmers, weak control, and lack of access to finance are some of the key issues affecting food production and trade in Albania.
Furthermore, the “identification” of products, i.e. the ability to trace them from producer to consumer, is one of the main problems in the Sector. despite the obligations of farmers to keep records of pesticide use, shortcomings in control make it difficult to fully implement the traceability system.
On the authorities' side, the Food Control Authority (AKU) carries out inspections to ensure the safety of products on the market. However, undeclared products from informal markets remain a serious problem. Local authorities are responsible for combating illegal food sales on the streets and sidewalks, but enforcing strict rules remains a challenge.
According to experts, the main problems include the use of excessive amounts of pesticides and the application of unwanted chemicals to animal products. Farmers often violate crop protection rules and observe waiting times for harvest, which can have serious consequences for food quality.
In 2024, AKU carried out over 30,000 inspections of food products, with the majority of violations related to exceeding pesticide limits. However, inspection authorities say they continue to face difficulties in implementing a full traceability system due to a lack of infrastructure and the presence of illegal markets.
The competent bodies, such as the Minister of Agriculture, highlight the importance of cooperation between farmers and authorities to improve the situation. According to the Minister, strengthening cooperation between small producers through cooperatives and improving the legal and administrative infrastructure are crucial to solving the problems.
In the future, the authorities intend to upgrade food safety legislation to align it with European Union standards.
