The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms. Anila Denaj, and the Minister of Finance, Mr. Petrit Malaj, held a joint meeting with executives of second-tier banks and representatives of the Albanian Association of Banks to discuss the technical aspects of implementing the new Sovereign Guarantee for the agriculture sector, recently approved by the Albanian government.
The Sovereign Guarantee, with a fund of 3 billion ALL, is an instrument designed to support the private sector by facilitating access to finance for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), while complying with existing fiscal rules and maintaining budgetary discipline.
The terms of this scheme will be highly favorable, covering up to 70% of the loan principal, with a maximum loan amount of 25 million ALL per eligible applicant.
SMEs will have the opportunity to combine this Sovereign Guarantee with the product of the Bank of Albania, gaining broader access to finance, with a focus on investments that enhance production capacity and quality in agro-processing, modernization of agricultural machinery, agrotourism, fishing, aquaculture, and more.
This is the fifth Sovereign Guarantee made available by the Albanian government to support private enterprises, serving as a tool to increase liquidity, with the state acting as guarantor.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is focused on strengthening its partnership with second-tier banks to improve access to finance for businesses in the agricultural sector. The goal is to encourage investments, enhance the quality of “Made in Albania” products, and boost the competitiveness of Albanian exports in international markets.
