Prishtina, 3 December 2025
Honourable Mr Imri Demelezi, Acting Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development,
Honourable Mr Bejtush Gashi and Mr Kujtim Lepaja, Chair of the Board and Executive Director of the “Raspberry of Kosovo” Association,
Honourable Ms. Astrid Wein, Director of the Swiss Caritas Office in Kosovo,
Honourable Prof. Endrit Kullaj, Agricultural University of Tirana,
Honourable representatives of institutions,
Honourable development partners, exporting companies and international experts,
Honourable farmers, women and men of the land,
Honourable participants,
Welcome to the 10th Edition of the Raspberry Conference — a well-deserved jubilee that encapsulates a decade of work, patience and innovation. This year we have over 350 participants — farmers, institutions, partners and exporting companies. This hall clearly shows that soft fruits are not a “small crop”, but a significant sector with ambition, impact and figures.
This year, this conference also includes 30 farmers from Albania, who have begun cultivating raspberries following the Kosovo model — a model consolidated by the “Raspberry of Kosovo” Association, with professional support in advisory services, sector organization and in raising production standards.
Today’s Kosovo is a success story — increasingly, year by year, a safer country in Europe, with institutions that are becoming more professional, with a growing rule of law, and with sound public finances. This performance is not accidental; it is the result of sustainable reforms, cooperation with our international partners and the genuine inclusion of all communities. Today, Kosovo appears as a trustworthy Euro-Atlantic partner, aligned with the policies of our allies, with solid economic growth, a modern central bank, a well-capitalized financial system, and with peace and security that are substantive.
This climate of stability, transparency and predictability is the reason why the soft-fruit sector — raspberries, strawberries and blueberries — is finding new markets, more stable prices and long-term contracts, turning the country’s democratic and economic success into tangible income for our rural families.
They say the secret to success on a farm is a combination of fertile soil with smart policies, high standards, less bureaucracy, good irrigation and fair contracts for the farmer. And when we add to this the sustainable partnership between the association, the government and the market, then the harvest is not only good but certain — the most competitive sector with the most stable income for our rural families.
Today Kosovo has established a full value chain for soft fruits — from orchards to collection centers, processors and exporters — who have turned cooperation into our greatest competitive advantage. So, we are more competitive because we cooperate more. Currently, around 1,000 hectares of raspberries and around 180 hectares of blueberries are cultivated nationwide — a strong base that we have grown year after year.
Even when it comes to numbers, we have reason for optimism:
- Rapid expansion of raspberry-growing areas — exemplary growth from around 20 hectares in 2011 to about 1,000 hectares this year, making raspberries one of the agricultural crops with the highest average return for farmers. In the past, around 96% of our production was exported because domestic consumption was very low.
- Today, thanks to the significant increase in demand from our citizens and the turn toward healthy nutrition, exports account for around 75%. So, exports still dominate domestic consumption, but not as overwhelmingly as before — no longer 96 to 4 percent, but now 75 to 25 percent. The rest is consumed in the domestic market and in Albania, a positive development showing that our families are increasingly consuming quality local products. Thus, the consumption of soft fruits is important not only nutritionally but also as a health factor, and in this sense the Government of the Republic of Kosovo — and I as Prime Minister — are committed to continuing to support you more and more.
- Despite increased domestic consumption, most of the production, as we all know, is still destined for export, generating around 10 million euros in revenue and sustaining over 2,500 jobs across the value chain. This is real economy for our families.
- Likewise, the cultivated-blueberry season this year recorded a 15% increase in production compared to 2024, with around 4 million euros in turnover — another clear signal that this subsector is strengthening, with our advantage of early entry into European markets. In blueberries, too, both exports and domestic consumption have increased.
- Strawberry cultivation has also grown steadily over the years — from only 14 hectares in 2004 to over 200 hectares this year — an expansion that reflects strong interest and good returns from this crop.
These are not just data or numbers. They are stories of investment, of shifting toward high-value crops, of expanded cooling-storage capacity and of quality certifications. They are proof that together — farmers, the association, the private sector, municipalities, ministries and partners — we can move from potential to performance.
As a government, our priority is to give this sector the opportunity to soar even higher and wider, but with strong roots in standards and sustainability. Three practical policies serve this purpose:
- Smart financing for production and processing. We will continue support for new orchards, irrigation systems, anti-hail nets and modernization of the cold chain, so that “Made in Kosova” quality is preserved from the field to the shelf.
- Market access. Together with the association and collection centers, we will help strengthen international presence, including through participation in international fairs — where the “Kosovo Berries” brand is gaining ground more and more each day.
- Standardization and certification. GAP, HACCP and traceability are not just labels; they are the key to better prices and long-term contracts. Sector reports show increasing adoption of modern practices and automated equipment.
In this path, the “Raspberry of Kosovo” Association has played a key role — as the link that connects the farmer to the collection center, the processor to the exporter, and the entire value chain to European standards. Its structure, which brings together producers, collectors, processors and exporters, is a good model of “added value” generated domestically for all fields of our economy.
Today, as we celebrate the 10th edition, I want to thank every farmer who wakes before dawn, every worker who carefully fills the crates, every technician who keeps the cold storage running, and every partner who opens new market doors. My thanks to the association for its tireless work, to development partners for their continued support, and to our institutions for overall coordination.
And of course, a simple promise from the Government — we will be partners, not spectators. We will be facilitators, not obstacles. We will be the guarantee that the fruit of your labor gets the value it deserves in the market.
A few months ago, I asked a farmer, “How are your plans and projections for the season?” He answered, “They’re like blueberries — at first they look dark, but in the end they’re very sweet!” May it be so for all of us — more sweetness in results, more color of success in our economy.
Congratulations on the 10th Raspberry Conference! I wish you successful work, good contracts and prosperous seasons for raspberries, blueberries and strawberries — so that Albanians and our friends in Europe increasingly know them both for product quality and for production growth.
Thank you, and congratulations!
