Albania opens one-stop counters to assist farmers

TIRANA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Albanian government will assist farmers across the country through one-stop-shop counters, providing services and information, agriculture ministry said in a press release Wednesday.

The ministry informed that the first one-stop counter opened Tuesday in Fier, central Albania.

"The Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (ARDA) will open 20 agro-service counters until the end of 2018, which will act as the "Farmer's Window" for provision of professional information and service by a dedicated staff," said agriculture minister Niko Peleshi.

They will provide the service of application for grants and subsidies out of the budget funds, guidance for business plans, information and agricultural counseling, financial information as well as information on agricultural markets, the minister said.

Albania's 2018 budget for agriculture sector has increased by 15 percent or 1.4 billion leks more than that in 2017. The biggest financing goes to agricultural subsidy schemes, with a budget increase of 55 percent, according to official statistics. Enditem