Bread producers, various pastry specialists, and confectioneries are currently grappling with a severe shortage of skilled labor.
Despite continuous efforts by the industry to raise wages, the inability to find local workers to fill vacant positions has prompted bakeries and confectioneries to consider hiring foreign labor.
Gëzim Peshkopia, the President of the Association of Bread, Pastry, and Confectionery Producers, explained to Monitor that the sector has long suffered from a scarcity of experts in bread and pastry production, but this year, the problem has escalated.
Peshkopia attributes this high shortage of specialized labor to population emigration.
In response, bread and pastry entrepreneurs are now exploring the option of hiring foreign workers from both Asian and neighboring countries.
The association’s data indicates that there are 8,000 to 10,000 bread and pastry ovens operating in the country, and nearly all of them are facing a labor deficit.
“The shortage of specialized labor in bread and pastry production demands an immediate solution. Despite the ongoing efforts of the sector, which has included regular wage increases, virtually all bakeries across the country are encountering difficulties in securing labor. As a result, production businesses are open to considering the employment of foreign specialists with similar expertise, whether from Asian nations or the surrounding region,” he stated.
Due to labor shortages, many bakeries in the country have had to increase wages by up to 80% since September of last year to retain skilled workers. According to the bakery association, salaries for key positions in bread production range from 60,000 to 100,000 Albanian lek per month. Salary hikes have also been implemented for cleaning staff, with increases ranging from 70% to 80%.
The labor shortage is also driving up costs for bread producers, prompting several bakeries to raise bread prices by 10 to 20 Albanian lek.
This severe labor shortage is now prevalent in all sectors of the economy. Previously, soft drink producers had considered hiring foreign labor, even though initial hesitations stemmed from concerns about the departure of foreign workers, which many businesses are currently contending with.
The bar and services sector experienced a labor shortage of 15,000 employees at the start of this year’s tourist season. The manufacturing sector is similarly struggling with a high shortage of labor. Pro Export Albania reported that 450 women from Nepal and the Philippines were employed from January to June 2023 to help fill the labor gap alongside local workers.
