The manufacturing industry continues to be in crisis due to numerous difficulties which are materialized by the decline in the volume of production and sales.

Data is proven by INSTAT figures, which show that compared to the third month of 2022, the total sales index fell by 16.6% in the third quarter of 2023.

The crisis cycle caused by the unfavorable balance of the euro against the lek, which with its fall caused a discouragement of production and export, has started a negative trend for the country’s industries, which have faced higher costs and excessive profits low.

The largest decline was for the leather processing and footwear industry, which from the quarter of 2022 to the third month of 2023, the net sales index fell by 27%.

In addition to the negative impact of the exchange rate, the sector was also damaged by a drop in Italian market demand for Albanian manufacture.

Also, the extractive industry has suffered a decline, where from 130 sales in the three months of 2022, in 2023 the sector generated a net sales index of only 90.6, falling by 30%. Net sales from paper and other derivative products also fell by 17%, followed by woodworking products, which sold 10% less.

The electrical products and metallurgy industry also posted 5.9% less net sales. On the other hand, the air transport industry, travel agencies, hotels and restaurant bar services have recorded an increase in net sales for the reference periods, driven by the increased foreign tourism of the past year, where all of these increased respectively with 31, 16 and 12 percent.