The district of Berat is widely known for its large areas with olives of various varieties.

There are many farmers in this area, but this year the olive production leaves much to be desired.

Low yield, price below cost and lack of labor market are some of the problems that have plagued farmers this year.

“Last year, the price of olives was 16, now olives are around 15 lek per kilogram, so there is a decrease,” says farmer Llazar Pestanaku.

“We have a problem selling olives, because traders earn more than we producers. There, processed olives are sold for 4-5 thousand Lek per kilogram, while they tell me 1 thousand Lek here. The state must intervene,” says another farmer.

The expenses for the maintenance of olive trees are mainly dominated by chemical fertilizers, which, according to farmers, are becoming more expensive year after year, while the price at collection points is decreasing.

“Trash rises every year. We will take it or we will not take it, we have no choice. The influence of the climate, especially the month of April, is decisive for the olive tree,” says a farmer.

The village of Bilçë, which has the most olive roots in Berat, counts 1000 ha with 140 thousand olive roots.

According to the farmers, the annual production exceeds 2500 tons, while this year it has decreased by nearly 30%.

In addition to these problems, one of the biggest difficulties that farmers are facing is the lack of labor during the olive harvest season.