The budget for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will reach 17.9 billion lek in 2027, from 16.4 billion lek this year. Meanwhile, support for farmers through the National Scheme will be 5.3 billion lek, an increase of only 100 million lek compared with 2026. Minister of Agriculture Andis Salla said the support scheme for farmers will be discussed with the beneficiaries themselves, through hearings aimed at identifying problems and incorporating new proposals.
“We will hold hearings with farmers so that we can include the problems we may have had during this year, or suggestions they are asking for that are not included in the national scheme”, Salla said. Another financial instrument expected to be expanded next year is VAT compensation at 10% for farmers who sell their produce to collectors or agritourism entities, on the basis of self-invoices.
For this mechanism, the government has foreseen a minimum fund of 3 billion lek in 2027, double the amount made available during 2026. “The minimum is 3 billion lek. That is 30 million euros. We have doubled it; we had 15 million euros in 2026 and the floor in 2027 is 3 billion, or 30 million euros”, the minister declared. According to Salla, in the first six months of this year alone, farmers benefited about 12.5 million euros from VAT compensation. He stressed that the procedure is simplified and requires only the self-invoice as a document to receive support.
“It is a very good instrument, because, seeing a good opportunity to support farmers directly without bureaucracy or paperwork, a fair way for them to benefit, it requires only one document, the self-invoice”, Salla said. The minister expressed expectations that payments for the second half, which are expected to be made in December, will also be higher, based on tax administration data.
Speaking about the distribution of the 2027 budget, Salla clarified that the funds will not be concentrated only on subsidies for farmers, but will also serve for investments in agricultural infrastructure, drainage boards, flood protection, food safety and laboratories. “As we have discussed in the relevant committees, the budget allocated for 2027 is about 18 billion lek. It is a budget that is increasing; this year it is 10% more than last year”, he declared.